By: KIRO 7 News Staff
SEATTLE — Gov. Jay Inslee announced Friday that the statewide stay-at-home order set to expire Monday would extend through May 31.
During his Friday afternoon news conference, Inslee said businesses would be able to reopen in four phases while modifying physical distancing measures.
There will be a minimum of three weeks between each phase. Though he
said some counties with lower numbers of cases and deaths might be able
to open parts of their economy sooner if approved by the Department of
Health.
Phase 1
- High-risk populations: Continue to stay home, stay healthy
- Outdoor: Some outdoor recreation (hunting, fishing, golf, boating, hiking).
- Gatherings: None, drive-in spiritual service with one household per vehicle.
- Travel: Only essential travel.
- Business/Employers: Essential businesses open, including existing construction that meets agreed-upon criteria, landscaping, automobile sales, retail( curb-side pick-up orders only), car washes, housecleaning, pet walkers.
Phase 2
- High-risk populations: Continue to stay home, stay healthy
- Outdoor: All outdoor recreation involving fewer than five people outside your household (camping, beaches, etc.)
- Gatherings: Gather with no more than five people outside your household per week.
- Travel: Limited non-essential travel within proximity of your home.
- Business/Employers: Remaining manufacturing, new construction, in-home/domestic services (nannies, housecleaning, etc.), retail (In-store purchases allowed with restrictions), real estate, professional services/office-based businesses (telework remains strongly encouraged), hair and nail salons/barbers, restaurants <50 5.="" b="" capacity="" larger="" no="" size="" table="" than="">
Phase 3
- High-risk populations: Continue to stay home, stay healthy
- Outdoor: Outdoor group recreational sports activities (5-50 people), recreational facilities at <50 b="" capacity="" etc.="" pools="" public="">
- Gatherings: Allow gatherings with no more than 50 people.
- Travel: Resume non-essential travel.
- Business/Employers: restaurants <75 10="" 50="" activities="" all="" and="" at="" b="" bars="" business="" capacity="" encouraged="" events="" except="" for="" government="" greater="" larger="" libraries="" listed="" movie="" museums="" nightclubs="" no="" not="" other="" people.="" remains="" size="" strongly="" table="" telework="" than="" theaters="" with="" yet="">
Phase 4
- High-risk populations: Resume public interactions, with physical distancing
- Outdoor: Resume all recreational activity.
- Gatherings: Allow gatherings >50 people.
- Travel: Continue nonessential travel.
- Business/Employers: Nightclubs, concert venues, large sporting events, resume unrestricted staffing of worksites, but continue to practice physical distancing and good hygiene.
Phase 1 starts Tuesday, May 5. Click here for a chart of each phase.
State officials are looking at several metrics, including the number of
hospitalizations, the current transmission rate in King County, and
projections for increases in cases if social distancing efforts were
ended today.
The governor said testing is about to ramp up but we are still seeing too many cases.
Inslee said that while coronavirus deaths and hospitalizations were
declining in April, the numbers are not low enough to ensure those
numbers will continue to decline. There is not one number that can be
used to make a decision about lifting the social distancing orders, he
added.
“We are still not at the level that we can be confident that if we
release our social distancing these numbers will not begin to go up as
well,” he said.
The governor has maintained from the start that testing will be the key to reopening.
The latest statewide death toll as reported by the Department of Health
had reached 830 deaths among 15,003 confirmed coronavirus cases as of
11:59 p.m. Friday.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the counties with the highest totals:
King County has 457 deaths among 6,351 cases; Snohomish County has 109
deaths among 2,493 cases; and Pierce County has 50 deaths among 1,376
cases.
Click here to see where other counties in the state stand.
Key coronavirus updates:
- There are at least 15,003 confirmed coronavirus cases with at least 830 deaths in Washington, according to the latest Department of Health numbers as of 11:59 p.m. May 1.
- Some Washington residents can apply for emergency cash assistance, if they aren’t eligible for other programs.
- The White House has released an 18-page package of guidelines to help states re-open businesses shuttered by the coronavirus outbreak.
- People who have recovered from COVID-19 can now donate their plasma to potentially help develop a treatment for the disease. Learn if you are eligible here and find more out about the local center taking donations here.
- All K-12 schools will remain physically closed for the remainder of the school year. The state’s more than 1.2 million public and private K-12 students will continue distance learning until the end of June.
- The state DOH and the CDC are recommending the public wear simple, non-medical cloth masks or face coverings when out in public places where social distancing may not be maintained. Learn how to make your own mask here.
- Wondering what is still open? Find out here.
- KIRO 7 will send breaking news updates through the KIRO 7 News app, which you can download here.
Information from local officials
Inslee announced in a Friday press conference that the stay-at-home
order will extend through May 31 and the state will reopen in four
phases.
Moments after Inslee extended the stay-at-home order, the city of
Seattle said it will continue to operate under its state of civil
emergency.
“Governor Inslee has led our state in COVID-19 crisis by relying on
science and data - extending the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order and
creating a phased approach to reopening is critical to saving lives and
preventing an exponential resurgence of the virus. While we have
flattened the curve, saved lives and prevented our health care systems
from being overwhelmed, Seattle and King County has seen at least 630
cases and 44 deaths in the last five days. We have to remember that
there are significantly more cases in our community now than early March
when we began restrictions. We know it is still far too early to take
our foot off the brake on our response to this disease or we risk an
exponential resurgence of the virus. Every one of us must continue
physical distancing until our infection rates have dropped
significantly,” said Durkan. “King County was the initial epicenter
nationwide of the virus and continues to have the largest number of
cases and deaths in the state. Both the County Executive and I will
continue to work closely with public health officials to evaluate our
data and ensure we can reopen our businesses safely in Seattle and our
region.”
Restrictions on some elective surgeries, construction work and some
outdoor activities are being eased and there’s talk of certain areas of
the state opening sooner.
But Inslee said that depends capacity of testing.
So far, nearly 194,000 people have been tested - that’s 2-1/2 percent of the state’s estimated population.
But because federal officials invoked the Defense Production Act,
Washington State will receive an infusion of tests every month. Capacity
could quadruple to tens of thousands of tests every day.
In a statement released Thursday, Inslee said soon, Washington should
begin receiving half a million swabs needed to conduct the tests each
month.
“This federal support is an important and welcome step toward a safe
and responsible return to public life," Inslee said in a news release.
“However, additional forms of federal support for testing continue to be
necessary.”
He went into detail about the metrics the state is using to evaluate
when and how to lift various restrictions. The five metrics being used
are: COVID 19 disease activity; testing capacity and availability; case
and contact investigations; risk to vulnerable populations, and health
care system readiness.
“The quickest way to reopen our economy is to make sure we get this job done,” Inslee said.
Until the number of cases and deaths decline further, he said keeping
the restrictions in place is necessary. Increased testing capability is
of particular important, with Inslee saying the state is hoping to test
22,000 people per day.
The challenge in ramping up testing capacity is a lack of swabs and transport medium.
“If we stop our efforts today, we’re going to see a lot more people die
in the state of Washington in the near future,” Inslee said.
Information from the White House, federal officials
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday that private schools that
have received loans through a federal program meant to shore up small
businesses struggling due to the coronaviurs pandemic should return the
funds.
“It has come to our attention that some private schools with
significant endowments have taken (Paycheck Protection Program) loans,”
Mnuchin said in a Twitter post. “They should return them.”
On Wednesday, The New York Times reported
on several private schools that have taken out PPP loans despite fears
over the scrutiny such decisions would bring. Officials with Sidwell
Friends School in Bethesda, Maryland, a private school that
Chelsea Clinton attended which has a $53.4 million endowment, told the
newspaper they would accept a $5.2 million PPP loan.
“We recognize that our decision to accept this loan may draw criticism
from some quarters of the community but are fully united in our
decision,” school officials told the Times.
How you can protect yourself and what to do if you think you were exposed
Symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, cough and shortness of
breath. Patients reportedly have mild to severe respiratory illness.
These are steps health officials recommend to protect yourself:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
- Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces.
- Stay at home and away from others if you are feeling ill.
- Washington State Department of Health: What to do if you have confirmed or suspected coronavirus disease
- Washington State Department of Health: What to do if you were potentially exposed to someone with confirmed coronavirus disease
- If you are in King County and believe you were exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19, or if you’re a healthcare provider with questions about COVID-19, contact: coronavirus@kingcounty.gov.
- For general concerns and questions about COVID-19, call the Washington State Novel Coronavirus Call Center at 800-525-0127 and press #.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
