Public Health – Seattle & King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin, along with King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan, announced a new Health Officer Directive strongly urging face coverings in all indoor public places including grocery stores and other businesses, as well as outside settings where maintaining six feet of social distancing is difficult. This directive will go into effect May 18, 2020.
Joined by King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor A. Jenny Durkan and supported by local leaders, Public Health – Seattle & King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin today issued a Health Officer Directive for the public to use face coverings to reduce the spread of COVID-19 illness.
The Directive, effective on May 18, declares that all individuals at indoor or confined outdoor public settings are strongly urged to use face coverings over their nose and mouth.
Wearing a face covering can help prevent the spread of infection to others by blocking infectious droplets from spreading when someone with the infection coughs, sneezes and speaks. Individuals can be infected and contagious before or even without developing symptoms. Evidence suggests a significant number of infections may be transmitted in this way.
Because face masks such as N95 respirators continue to be reserved for health care workers, residents should use fabric coverings such as cloth masks, scarves or bandanas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides tips on how to make your own cloth face covering
The Directive applies to both workers and patrons of groceries, pharmacies, big box stores, and other essential establishments, including pet supplies, auto repairs, and home improvement stores. Restaurants with carry-out and food delivery must comply as well. Face coverings do not need to be worn outside unless appropriate social distancing cannot be practiced, such as at farmers markets.
Exceptions to the Health Directive include children, people with disabilities, deaf individuals who use facial movements as part of communication, and others. Health Officer Directives are based on individual compliance by the public; there is no penalty for not wearing a face covering.
The Directive will be in effect until it is no longer needed and rescinded by Dr. Duchin.
Executive Constantine also announced that operators and riders on King County Metro will be required to wear face coverings. Metro operators will not prevent passengers without face coverings from boarding, but recorded reminders will play on Metro vehicle public address systems informing riders of the face covering policy. Security officers will communicate public health guidance to riders who are not wearing a face covering or not staying apart from other passengers.
King County is distributing 115,000 face coverings and masks through community-based organizations. The City of Seattle is working with community-based organizations to distribute over 45,000 cloth face coverings to vulnerable communities, including people experiencing homelessness, older adults, and staff at food banks. Community partners are identifying eligible people based off their existing client lists.
“This is a precarious time in our response to this virus. Our state is poised to loosen some social distancing restrictions, but only if the rate of infection continues to decline. For us to be able to confidently walk the path to greater normalcy, we must do everything possible to keep people safe and avoid a rebound in infections, hospitalizations and deaths," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “We must ask people to take the steps, informed by public health, to once again change everyday life in service of the health of all. By doing this one thing – wearing a face covering in public settings – we can do more to protect our most vulnerable, and increase the odds that the limited resumption of activities will be successful.”
As of May 10, 7,046 King County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, and 498 have died due to COVID-19 illness.
The full Health Officer Directive and summary, FAQ, posters and visual materials are posted on the King County website.
Keep up with the latest Public Health news in King County by subscribing to the department’s blog, Public Health Insider.
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City of Kirkland dog parks are open! As part of Phase 1 of Governor Jay Inslee's Safe Start approach to reopening, the City has been able to reopen our two dog parks at Jasper's Park and Edith Moulton Park. But please remember to continue to keep at least 6 feet of physical distance from others when out in public. The CDC has also advised that cloth face masks can be helpful in slowing the spread.
For more information about Edith Moulton and Jasper's Off Leash Dog Parks, please visit our website at: Kirkland Parks and Community Services.
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Business owners, nonprofits, and independent workers are encouraged to participate in the new COVID-19 Business Impact Survey published today by the City of Seattle Government Office of Economic Development, Greater Seattle Partners, and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. By taking the survey, you will inform regional efforts to support businesses, nonprofits, and independent workers in recovering from the economic impacts of COVID-19.
This survey builds on an earlier survey and will measure potential changes to COVID-19 impacts over time, seek to further understand operational changes businesses have implemented since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and evaluate the impact private and public funding have had on the ability of businesses to stay afloat.
The survey will be open until May 21. The survey is available in the following languages: Amharic, Chinese - Traditional, English, Japanese, Korean, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Do you need help getting a Paycheck Protection Program loan? Or did you receive one but aren’t sure how to get it forgiven?
Our Business Response Team at (re)STARTUP425 can help you. They can guide you in what documents you need and what information you need to track. This free, one-on-one service is available in multiple languages to businesses and nonprofits on the Eastside.
For more information, visit the (re)STARTUP425 webpage.
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Below is the most recent list of businesses that are authorized to be open under Governor Jay Inslee's Four Phase approach to reopening. You can find industry specific Safe Start guidelines online on the Washington State Coronavirus Response webpage.
If you had the chance to get outside and enjoy the sunshine this weekend, you may have noticed that some of Kirkland's busier intersections now have automatic crosswalks. This is a temporary initiative that came about in response to community concerns about high touch surfaces. You can find these at the following intersections:
• Central Way & 3rd St
• 3rd St & Kirkland Ave
• Central Way & Lake St
• Kirkland Ave & Lake St
• Juanita Dr & 98th Ave NE
• Juanita Dr & 97th Ave NE
Enjoy the summer weather this week and don't forget to keep that six feet of physical distance from others.
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21st Century QuaranTeen Summit
3:30 to 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 13
Zoom Event presented by the Kirkland Youth Council
Local teens are invited to a virtual zoom summit to talk about mental health, physical health, school, and relationships, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This event is hosted by the Kirkland Youth Council (KYC) and the City of Kirkland to offer teens an outlet to discuss the challenges of being in quarantine.
The event is open to all middle school and high school age students. For more information, including the Zoom link and password, visit the City webpage.
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7 Hills of Kirkland: Shifting Gears
May 1 through May 30, 2020
Virtual Event
7 Hills of Kirkland is now virtual!
Visit the Attain Housing website today to learn more about digital participation in 7 Hills of Kirkland, and to experience firsthand what can be done to transform a negative situation into an opportunity! Rather than just a one-day event, 7 Hills of Kirkland takes place throughout the entire month of May, featuring cycling challenges, weekly mileage and elevation goals and community support.
Riders who join the challenge will enjoy GPS routes, rider leaderboards (to spark your competitive edge), games, contests and amazing prizes from all your favorite Kirkland businesses, To register, visit the website!
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In alignment with the recent extension of Gov. Jay Inslee's "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order, and because continued physical distancing is critical to halting the spread of COVID-19, the following events are cancelled:
Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF)
Thursday, May 21 through Monday, May 25
Kirkland Performance Center
350 Kirkland Avenue
For more information on SIFF, including Virtual SIFF Cinema, please visit: https://www.siff.net/virtual-siff-cinema
Recycling Collection Event
Saturday, May 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
11605 132nd Ave. N.E.
For more information, visit: https://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/Public_Works/solidwaste.htm
The Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce
All Chamber events through May 21 are cancelled
For more information, visit: https://kirklandchamber.org/
Kirkland Performance Center
All Kirkland Performance Center shows have been postponed until further notice
For more information, visit: http://www.kpcenter.org
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