Skyline Happenings

Gov. Jay Inslee today announced a four-week statewide set of restrictions in response to the recent rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus in Washington and across the country.

The new restrictions come as Washington sees consistent increasing daily case counts, with over 2,000 cases a day over the weekend and average cases in the state doubling over the past two weeks.

“This spike puts us in a more dangerous a position as we were in March,” Inslee said during a press conference Sunday. “And it means, unfortunately, the time has come to reinstate restrictions on activities statewide to preserve the public’s well-being, and to save lives. These were very difficult decisions that have very real consequences to people’s livelihoods. I recognize that and don’t take those impacts lightly, but we must act now and act quickly to slow the spread of this disease.”

The restrictions are statewide and will take effect Monday, November 16 at 11:59 PM and will remain in effect until Monday, December 14. The modified restrictions of restaurants, however, will take effect Wednesday, November 18 at 12:01 AM.

“This is absolutely the right time to take action,” said Dr. George Diaz, infectious disease physician at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett. “It will save the lives of many Washingtonians, provide relief to our most precious resources, which are our front-line healthcare workers, and allow us to continue to provide the full array of medical and surgical care that our state needs.”

Activities not included in the modified restrictions should follow current guidance. All K-12/higher education, child care, and courts and court-related proceedings are exempt from the new restrictions.

Gatherings

Indoor gatherings have been one of the biggest driving factors of COVID-19 spikes in Washington and nation-wide. Because of this, indoor gatherings with people outside the household will be prohibited unless they quarantine for the fourteen days (14) prior to the social gathering or quarantine for the seven (7) days prior to the gathering, and receive a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 48-hours prior to the gathering. Outdoor gatherings are limited to no more than five people.

For long-term care facilities, only outdoor visits will be allowed. Indoor visits may be permitted for essential support persons or end-of-life care.

Restaurants and retail

Restaurants and bars will be closed for indoor service, with to-go services and restricted outdoor dining allowed.

In-store retail, grocery stores and personal services are limited to 25% of occupancy and must close any congregate areas.

Religious services, weddings and funerals

Religious services will be limited to 25% indoor capacity or 200 people, whichever is less, and choirs, bands or ensembles are prohibited from performing. Wedding and funeral ceremonies can go on with limited attendance, but receptions of any size are prohibited indoors.

Entertainment and fitness

Indoor service will be closed at fitness facilities and gyms, and youth and adult amateur sporting activities are limited to outdoors only with facial coverings.

Bowling alleys, museums, zoos, aquariums, and movie theaters will be closed for indoor services.

“We understand that this is both an economic and a public health crisis. We do not take lightly the impact these restrictions will have on local businesses, many of which have already had a very difficult year. You are not alone, and we will continue to provide supports,” Inslee said.

“There is light at the end of this tunnel. We will continue to fight, adapt and persevere. It may be months before we’re totally out of the clear, but medical advances are putting us closer to the goal of restoring all activities eventually. For now, we have to keep everyone’s interests in mind and take steps that protect all Washingtonians.”

The full proclamation is available here.

The full guidance page is available here.

From Crosscut: With an uncertain holiday season nearly upon us, dangerous pandemic trends in King County and throughout the state — coupled with no new health restrictions or state financial support to those most vulnerable to the spread of disease — could make celebrating in any capacity especially risky this year.

COVID-19 positivity rates* in King County are surpassing case highs seen in the spring. The number of daily reported positive COVID-19 cases has trended upwards in King County since late September, and since the end of October those rates have doubled. According to Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer with Public Health — Seattle & King County, hospitalization rates in King County rose 30% over the past week. 

In a chilling and familiar summary, Duchin says, “COVID-19 is a viral wildfire, and we are the fuel.” 

With the surge showing no sign of slowing down, local epidemiologists and medical professionals are now declaring that the third wave of the pandemic has arrived, following a first wave in the spring and a second in the summer. 

Health officers don’t make game-day decisions when weighing whether to reverse course on “reopening” Washington counties to business, socializing, and other aspects of daily life ⁠— that’s up to Gov. Jay Inslee. In a televised address on Thursday, Inslee encouraged Washingtonians to rethink their holiday plans. The governor has not yet reintroduced mandatory restrictions on social gatherings, although further measures to reduce the spread of the virus are expected to be announced over the next few days. Health officials are hoping that Washingtonians will voluntarily comply with social distancing directives and not gather with others whom they don’t already live with. 

At a press conference Tuesday, Inslee’s chief of staff, David Postman, said, the governor “doesn’t have some secret plan in his pocket. This is the plan.”

“We know that holidays create problems,” Postman said. “Thanksgiving, Christmas, those are the holidays where people pack their houses full of people. That can’t happen this year.”

On Friday morning, Inslee tiptoed toward enforcing that, issuing a request to anyone entering the state to voluntarily quarantine for 14 days, while asking locals to (also voluntarily) stay local.

The trend is pronounced enough that Washington medical experts and officials from across the state, including Public Health’s Duchin, issued requests for pandemic vigilance with an underlying message of this being their final request before more restrictions are put in place. 

“We’re at a point that if we cannot change the current trajectory of disease by changing our behaviors, we’ll need to take actions that will hurt our economy, and no one wants to do that again,” says Dr. Kathy Lofy of the Washington Department of Health.