As of Saturday, March 21, all Kirkland playgrounds are closed until further notice.

With heavy use and crowding in parks, the City has closed playgrounds to follow with Public Health — Seattle & King County recommendations of practicing social distancing. The closure includes basketball and tennis courts, and other active recreation areas where people may be in close contact.This closure follows similar announcements by King County, Seattle, Bellevue and other cities. The City is not able to sanitize playground equipment in a manner that can comply with public health guidelines.

Restrooms will remain open for now to allow the public a place to wash their hands. Social distancing and hygienic precautions should be observed in restrooms as well. 

The City has also cancelled all recreation programming, classes, and facility rentals through Friday, April 24. That includes community centers, recreation programs, facility rentals, athletic fields and picnic shelters. Green Kirkland Partnership volunteer stewardship events are also cancelled during this time.

Parks, trails and beaches remain open for walking and activities that do not require close proximity and allow for the recommended social distancing that allows six feet between people. Community centers, athletic fields and picnic shelters are anticipated to reopen on April 27, pending any additional guidelines from the state. In addition, YMCA has closed KTUB, the Kirkland Teen Center, at Peter Kirk Park through Tuesday, March 31.

All parks and recreation business can be conducted online at www.kirklandparks.net or by phone at 425-587-3300. Anyone unable to utilize a credit card or doesn’t have access to a computer for online transactions is encouraged to call the customer service center at 425-587-3300. Alternate payment methods such as cash, check or scholarship can be arranged.

Spring and summer recreation program registration began on March 19. Registration proceeded as scheduled, opening at 6 a.m. on March 19 at www.kirklandparks.net. However, only programs beginning in May are available for registration. Programs are expected to resume in May, pending any additional guidelines received by the Washington State Department of Public Health.

Lake Washington School District Playgrounds Also Closed

In alignment with the directives Lake Washington School District has received for social distancing, LWSD will be adding increased signage at school sites to indicate that common spaces such as playgrounds are closed. 

For more information on COVID-19 impacts, please visit https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Residents/Public_Safety/COVID-19__coronavirus__Information.htm.

As we continue to work on reducing the spread of COVID-19, it might become necessary to care for someone ill from a suspected or confirmed case of this new coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control, Public Health – Seattle & King County and your health care providers remain your best sources for what to do when caring for someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

Here are five tips to help if COVID-19 impacts your household, along with links to additional information.

Stay safe and stay healthy!

• Household members should stay separated from the patient as much as feasibly possible, including using separate bedrooms and bathrooms, if available. *If a separate bathroom is not available, the bathroom should be cleaned and disinfected after each use by the sick person.
  
  
• Knowledge is key! All members of the household should educate themselves about COVID-19 symptoms and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in homes and communities.
  
  
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily (or more) in heavily trafficked household areas (this includes tabletops, hard-backed chairs, counters, doorknobs, light switches, cupboard handles, desk surfaces, toilets, sinks, refrigerator handles and other similar items).
  
  
• Wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and discard gloves after each cleaning. If reusable gloves are used, make sure those gloves are dedicated to COVID-19 related cleaning and disinfecting only, and not for other purposes.
  
  
• For disinfection, use diluted bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70 percent alcohol and/or other common EPA-registered household disinfectants. For more information on cleaning and disinfecting, visit the CDC website at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/cleaning-disinfection.html. For more information about cleaning with bleach, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/bleach.html.
  
  

Always remember, if you suspect someone in your family may have COVID-19, contact your health care provider. For more information on what to do if you suspect COVID-19, visit: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/news/2020/March/5-suspected-covid.aspx.

Although there is no evidence to indicate that pets might carry or spread COVID-19, the CDC recommends that you practice healthy habits around your furry, four-legged family members. Further, if you are sick with COVID-19, the CDC recommends that you restrict your contact with pets and other animals, just like you would with people. When and if it’s possible, have another member of your household care for your animals while you are sick.

Thus far, the CDC has not received any reports of pets or other animals becoming sick from COVID-19 in the United States. However, it is still recommended that people sick with COVID-19 limit their contact with animals until more is known about this new virus.

Stay safe! For more information about animals and coronavirus, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/animals.html.