Coronavirus update: Child Study and Treatment Center staff member tests positive
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Sunday, March 29.
Updated at 2:30 p.m.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) notified the Port of Seattle today that a security officer at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) tested positive for COVID-19. The officer last worked the morning shift at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on March 21 at Checkpoint 5. Checkpoint 5 is currently being closed for additional cleaning.
A dozen other airports have had TSOs test positive for COVID-19. You can find all the positive tests here.
TSA follows public health guidance to notify employees who were in close contact with the security officer. Employees or travelers who believe they may have been in contact with a person who tests positive for COVID-19 should consult with their healthcare provider.
Current TSA instructions require frontline personnel to wear nitrile gloves when screening an individual or their property, which adds an additional layer of protection. Any swabs utilized as part of a screening procedure will not be reused for multiple passengers.
Pierce County reaches 138 confirmed cases
Updated at 2:25 p.m.
Twelve new confirmed coronavirus cases were reported in Pierce County on Tuesday. There are now 138 positive cases with one death out of 2,627 tested in the county since the outbreak started.
Statewide totals as of Monday afternoon listed 2,221 positive cases out of 33,933 tested, and 110 deaths.
Mount Rainier National Park Closes Roads to Public Vehicles
Updated at 2:25 p.m.
Mount Rainier National Park has announced additional modifications to operations to support federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Mount Rainier National Park has closed all park roads to public vehicle access. This closure will prohibit all vehicles, including cars, buses, motorcycles and non-motorized vehicles such as bicycles from entering the park. The park’s main gate near Ashford will also be closed. Updates to this temporary closure will be provided on the park’s Twitter account: @MountRainierNPS.
The park will continue to maintain critical systems and infrastructure during the public closure.
Washington legislators request federal disaster unemployment assistance for independent contractors
Updated at 1 p.m.
The Senate and House Democratic caucuses have requested that the federal government unlock disaster unemployment assistance for thousands of independent contractors in Washington who are losing work during the coronavirus pandemic.
Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), who authored the letter, said: “The American workplace has changed and thousands of workers who are independent contractors—from hairdressers to high tech coders—do not qualify for unemployment benefits. During this public health crisis that is a hardship they should not be forced to endure.”
Read the full letter here.
North Cascades National Park Service Complex modifies operations
Updated at 1 p.m.
North Cascades National Park Service Complex has announced additional modifications to operations to support federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
As of March 25, North Cascades National Park Service Complex will offer no services outside those that support visitor or resource protection. At North Cascades National Park Service Complex, the following services and operations will be suspended in order to comply with the state order, including providing restrooms, collecting trash, maintaining access roads, and operating campgrounds, boat ramps, and visitor information and services:
▪ Closed Campgrounds: Hozomeen, Colonial, Newhalem, Gorge, Goodell, Lakeview, Purple Point, Harlequin, High Bridge, All group sites
▪ Closed Boat Ramps: Colonial, Goodell, Gorge
▪ Closed Access Roads: Cascade River Rd, Thornton Lakes, Upper Goodell Rd
Safeway and Albertsons announce fundraiser to keep food accessible
Updated at 11 a.m.
Shoppers at Safeway or Albertsons will have the opportunity to donate to help people who are no longer able to access their local grocery store. The stores throughout Washington are hosting a checkstand fundraiser to support partners who are working to keep food accessible to everyone through the challenges created by the coronavirus response.
Al of the funds will assist:
▪ Seniors and others who are self-quarantined and need financial assistance to receive groceries at home
▪ Families who no longer have necessary access to daily school meals
▪ Workers who have lost their jobs due to closures of restaurants, bars, hotels, and entertainment facilities.
The company’s primary partner and recipient of the fundraiser is Northwest Harvest, which includes their hundreds of community partners throughout the state. Northwest Harvest, Food Lifeline and Second Harvest are all working in strong collaboration and are addressing challenges unique in the food insecurity sphere.
The funds raised at stores will scale up transportation and delivery of “emergency food boxes” to communities and households, and provide vouchers or gift cards to families who need assistance to purchase groceries, as well as assist in SNAP enrollment for impacted families.
Staff member at the Child Study and Treatment Center tests positive
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
A staff member at the Child Study and Treatment Center in Lakewood tested positive for COVID-19, The Department of Social and Health Services learned Monday.
DSHS leadership is working with Tacoma-Pierce County Public Health on contact tracing. The staff member is being treated at a local hospital.
The Child Study and Treatment Center, which treats children between the ages of five to 17 years old who experience mental illness, will continue to follow proper protocols for infectious diseases.
All children who reside at the facility will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms several times a day and all staff will be screened prior to entering CSTC for their shifts. CSTC will also limit movement of patients and minimize movements of staff between cottages at the facility as well. All CSTC staff have been instructed to continue to self-screen for COVID-19.
Visitation at the facility was stopped on March 21. All visitors who have recently been to the facility are encouraged to monitor for symptoms of the virus and to contact their health care provider if they exhibit symptoms consistent with COVID-19 for further direction.
Gov. Jay Inslee issues stay-at-home order for 2 weeks
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday evening ordered most of Washington’s 7.5 million residents to stay home for at least two weeks as the state tries to slow the growing spread of the novel coronavirus that has killed 110 and infected 2,221 people.
“So life will go on, but all of us in every part of Washington it has to do so with this in mind -- stay home, stay healthy. The less time you spend in public, the more lives we can save,” Inslee said during a speech that was televised and streamed online around the state.
The exceptions to the directive are if people are pursuing an essential activity such as shopping for groceries or going to a doctor’s appointment or the pharmacy.
Several businesses will be closed, but those considered “essential to the health and functioning of our community” such as day care centers and gas stations will remain open as well as ones in which people can telecommute.
The governor’s office released categories of businesses in which workers will be exempted from staying home, including those in health care, emergency services, food and agriculture, energy, water and sewage treatment, transportation, communications and information technology, hazardous materials, financial services, chemical, and defense-industrial sectors. Inslee said those sectors were chosen based largely on federal guidelines.
Non-essential businesses will have to close after 12:01 a.m. Thursday, Inslee said, but restaurants can continue to offer take-out and delivery.
Port Essential Functions Stay Open
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
The Port of Seattle will support efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus while also maintaining essential operations. In response to Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, Port of Seattle Commission President Peter Steinbrueck made the following statement:
“Port facilities and operations play an essential role in the region’s supply chain and economy. We remain open to serve essential travel and trade needs. We are doing everything possible to support those staying home, while keeping Port facilities safe for those who do essential work.”
Greater Seattle Sikh community offering support and aid
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
The Washington State Sikh Community is offering meals to first responders and free taxi rides or grocery delivery for the elderly or vulnerable without means. They are currently providing three meals a week at Ray of Hope Shelter in Auburn and will be feeding ER/ICU staff at Evergreen Hospital and Swedish Hospital.
This effort is being coordinated by Degh Tegh Community Kitchen and United Sikhs Non-Profit Organization. Both organizations regularly provide aid, meals and humanitarian support where needed. Degh Tegh Community Kitchen Youth Volunteers provides 500 hot meals every Saturday in Auburn, Seattle and Tacoma.
For Meals or Other Aid contact United Sikhs: Tanvir Singh 206-788-5906 or Degh Tegh Community Kitchen, Aman or Paul Singh 253-245-3260 or email help@DeghTegh.com.
Some DSHS offices close to foot-traffic
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
The Department of Social and Health Services announced that three of its administrations are closing offices to the public in response to COVID-19. The agency’s Economic Services Administration announced last week that it would offer only limited services in its offices statewide.
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation closed all of its offices to the public effective Monday. The Aging and Long-Term Support and the Developmental Disabilities administrations close their offices statewide to foot traffic starting Tuesday.
The closures of these offices to the public will remain in place until further notice. Information on how to reach the closed offices is available here.
University of Puget Sound in Tacoma cancels graduation ceremony
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
The University of Puget Sound in Tacoma has canceled its in-person commencement ceremony, scheduled for May 17, due to coronavirus concerns.
UPS president Isaiah Crawford notified students of the change in a letter Monday evening, calling it a “difficult decision.” There were 579 undergraduate and 118 graduate students expected to participate in the ceremony.
The university will share in coming weeks alternate ways to celebrate the event, including virtually. The university is also working to identify an alternate date to welcome back students for a formal ceremony.
Pierce Transit offers free rides and new precautions
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
Pierce Transit has suspended bus fares until further notice as a precaution to protect staff against the coronavirus.
Riders are asked to board buses using the rear doors to keep bus drivers safe, spokesperson Rebecca Japhet said. Because customers will use the back door to enter, the agency will not collect fares. Those who need mobility assistance can continue to use the front doors.
Seats immediately behind the bus driver are roped off to encourage social distancing, Japhet said.
The agency’s administrative offices in Lakewood will close the public lobby to visitors on Tuesday. Those transit employees who can telework have been asked to do so, she said in a statement.
On Wednesday, Pierce Transit’s customer service office at the Tacoma Dome Station and the Bus Shop will be closed to visitors, but staff will be available by phone during weekdays.
This story was originally published March 24, 2020 at 8:35 AM with the headline "Coronavirus update: Child Study and Treatment Center staff member tests positive."
