Coronavirus updates: $1.8M for rural counties; Washington state may ‘stay home’ longer
Updated at 6:50 p.m.
Seattle Public Schools, in conjunction with the City of Seattle – Department of Education and Early Learning, will open five childcare sites focused on providing services to families of first responders and medical staff.
The five sites, expected to begin serving kindergarten through 5th grade students on April 6, 2020, will be established in SPS schools in as-yet-unspecified locations near area hospitals.
At each site:
▪ Hours are 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday through Friday
▪ Staffing is structured to provide full childcare service for families
▪ Space is limited to 10 classrooms, with one adult assigned to nine children in each
classroom
▪ Meal service will be provided each day
In addition to providing meals, SPS is also covering the custodial, administrative and other support staff costs. SPS is working directly with hospitals and first responders to enroll students.
In addition, more pre-school and elementary school age childcare options are available at other SPS sites, in partnership with community childcare organizations. These additional sites also provide services for families of first responders and medical staff, as well as other essential industry employees and specific groups with need:
▪ Grocery and pharmacy staff
▪ Childcare workers
▪ Essential SPS staff
▪ Students experiencing homelessness
▪ Children of families qualified for the free and reduced meal program
More information about childcare options can be found here.
Stay-at-home order may need extended
Updated at 1 p.m.
The stay-at-home and business closure orders that are in effect for Washington may need to be extended, Gov. Jay Inslee said Thursday.
“The reason is we simply cannot allow this virus to be slowed, then spring back upon us. We’ve got to pound it and we’ve got to pound it until it’s done. I’m glad that Washingtonians are pitching into what is really a warfare against what is a fatal disease in our state,” the governor said at a press conference.
The emergency proclamation that Inslee signed on Monday bans all public and private gatherings of people until 12:01 a.m. April 7. The closure of all non-essential businesses expires at 12:01 a.m. April 9. If extended, Inslee did not say how long the orders would last.
Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06) to hold a telephone town hall
Updated at 12:50 p.m.
Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) will hold a telephone town hall regarding the federal government’s response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on Thursday, March 26 at 7:00 p.m.
In addition to a discussion on the legislation passed by Congress to support workers and families, the telephone town hall will feature experts to help answer constituent questions regarding best practices and ongoing medical efforts to address the COVID-19 public health emergency, including:
▪ Dr. Paul Pottinger, M.D., D.T.M.&H., is a board certified physician and director of the Infectious Diseases & Tropical Medicine Clinic at UW Medical Center and a UW associate professor of Medicine and Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
▪ Dr. Nathan Schlicher, M.D., president-elect of the Washington State Medical Association and regional medical director of quality assurance for the emergency departments at CHI Franciscan.
Residents of the 6th District who would like to join the call can send an email to kilmer.teletownhall@mail.house.gov with their name, address, and phone number. Residents who sign up before the deadline will automatically receive a phone call inviting them to join the telephone town hall that evening.
Commerce announces $1.8 million to rural counties
Updated at 11:45 a.m.
Washington State Department of Commerce Director Lisa Brown announced on Thursday a $1.8 million in additional state Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to rural counties to assist people and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Awarded through the Economic Opportunity Grant program, these funds can be used at the discretion of county authorities to meet a variety of emerging local needs, such as providing food and rental assistance, small business support and health services. Counties provide for these and other urgent needs through partnerships with local service providers.
The eligible counties and fund distribution can be found here. Funding is estimated, pending approval of state and local distribution plans.
Gov. Inslee signs proclamation on telehealth
Updated at 11:45 a.m.
Gov.r Jay Inslee signed a proclamation today that provides payment parity between health care services provided in-person and those provided through telemedicine.
In order to serve more patients, Inslee has signed a measure that would require parity in payment between in-person health care visits and those provided using telemedicine. Telemedicine claims must now be reimbursed at the same rate as care delivered face-to-face. Telemedicine claims cannot be denied by health insurance companies.
SB 5385, passed by the legislature would do the same thing, but it doesn’t take effect until January 2021. The governor’s action will allow the law to go into effect immediately to help increase access to care during the coronavirus outbreak.
Pierce Transit to reduce weekday bus service by 28%
Updated at 11:45 a.m.
Starting Monday, Pierce Transit will reduce weekday bus service by about 28 percent until further notice. This week Pierce Transit’s bus ridership is down 57 percent compared to March 2019. The reduced service levels will take into consideration lower ridership levels while also allowing room for social distancing between customers on buses.
Under the reduced schedule, weekday routes will start and end around the same timeframe as a typical weekday, but buses will run less frequently. Routes will run as normal on weekends. Route 102 in Gig Harbor will not run during this time, since riders from the Gig Harbor area can reach Tacoma using other bus routes. Service reductions were planned to minimize impact on customers and ensure people still have early and late trips available to access jobs and other life needs.
During the new schedule, riders can find out when their next bus is coming by:
▪ Checking their routes on PierceTransit.org/Pierce-Transit-Routes. Updated weekday schedules will be posted March 29, with an updated Route and Schedule book posted to that webpage later today.
▪ Texting 253.533.7084 from their bus stop and entering the bus stop number found on the pole.
▪ Using a bus locator app, such as Transit or One Bus Away.
Beginning March 27, riders can plan ahead using the agency’s Trip Planner and entering their date of travel. They can also sign up for route text alerts by visiting PierceTransit.org/StayConnected.
ST to temporarily reduce service on additional ST Express routes
Updated at 11:45 a.m.
With ridership on trains and buses down by an estimated 83 percent, Sound Transit will introduce service reductions on additional ST Express routes starting Monday. With these further responses to the COVID-19 outbreak, riders need to anticipate reduced service on almost all ST Express routes as well as on Link and Sounder trains.
In addition to much lower ridership, the reductions take into account current and potential future reductions in available staffing. Trains and buses at the earliest and latest service hours. At this time, normal service will continue on Tacoma Link.
▪ Reductions to ST Express routes operated by Community TransitRoutes 510, 511, 512, 513, 532 and 535 will run on a reduced weekday schedule that will preserve the overall span of service but at a reduced frequency for select trips.
▪ Reductions to ST Express routes operated by Pierce TransitRoutes 544, 560, 566, 574, 578, 580, 590, 594, 595 and 596 will run at reduced frequency similar to typical Saturday schedules, with some enhancements.
▪ Due to continuing availability of service on other similar routes there will be no service on Routes 567, 586, and 592.
Riders will find more information on the specific trips canceled at https://www.soundtransit.org/ride-with-us/changes-affect-my-ride/reduced-serviceand via rider alerts, which they can sign up<https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WASOUND/subscriber/new.
During the COVID-19 response riders should take into account that electronic resources such as Google maps, One Bus Away and other applications and websites may not have accurate information for all trips, including service reductions affecting other agencies
Five total employees at Western State Hospital test positive
Updated at 8:15 a.m.
There are now a total of five employees at Western State Hospital who have tested positive for COVID-19, the Department of Social and Health Services said Wednesday.
The hospital learned of the two new confirmations after sending out a press release earlier on Wednesday regarding two other staff. There are now a total of two patients and five staff members who have tested positive for the virus. One of the staff members had not been at the 857-bed hospital during the incubation period of the illness and has since fully recovered.
The hospital has 2,700 state and contracted staff members.
WSH follows protocols for infectious diseases as a matter of routine. Due to COVID-19, the hospital has also implemented restrictions for patient and staff movement between wards and screens all staff prior to their shift for symptoms or exposure to the virus.
Anyone who visited Western State Hospital during the past two weeks should monitor for symptoms, and if exhibiting any consistent with COVID-19, contact their health care provider for further direction.
DSHS further reduces foot traffic at Community Services Offices
Updated at 8:15 a.m.
The Department of Social and Health Services announced that its Community Services Offices has further reduced foot traffic from the public in response to Governor Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy directive. The reduction will remain in place until further notice.
The agency’s Economic Services Administration announced March 19 that it would offer only limited services in its offices statewide.
There are online options available for people who need cash or food assistance. For example, at WashingtonConnection.org, customers can:
▪ Apply or complete an eligibility review for food, cash, medical and Medicare Savings Program benefits
▪ Complete a mid-certification or report a change
Full services are also available by phone through the Customer Service Contact Center at 877-501-2233:
▪ Apply for benefits or complete eligibility review without filling out a paper or online form
▪ Complete an interview for benefits
▪ Get case information or report changes
▪ Complete a mid-certification review
▪ Request a replacement EBT card
▪ Reach a WorkFirst case manager or social worker
A few in-person services are available in CSO lobbies for a limited number of customers to pick up:
▪ An EBT card, when the individual has general delivery mail services only and for certain expedited food recipients. All other EBT cards will be mailed from the vendor or through a local office mail process. Clients may contact EBT Customer Service at 888-328-9271 for EBT card replacements.
▪ Emergency support services, when mailing those services is not an option.
Customers may continue to drop off paperwork via drop boxes, where available. Paperwork will be picked up daily and routed for processing.
Coronavirus deaths reach 132 in Washington state; confirmed cases climb to 2,580
Updated at 8:15 a.m.
COVID-19 has caused 132 deaths in Washington state as of March 25. There are now 2,580 confirmed cases in the state. Those represent an increase from Tuesday, when the tally was 123 dead and 2,469 cases.
The state’s database did not reflect the second COVID-19 death in Pierce County, which was registered Wednesday. Adding in that death would make the state’s death total at 133.
The state does not provide any health information on COVID-19 deaths, including that of underlying conditions.
King County deaths reached 94 on Wednesday with 1,359 cases reported as of Wednesday. Pierce County has 155 cases and the two deaths.
Since the start of the outbreak, 34,292 coronavirus tests have been conducted, according to DOH. That number was up slightly from 34,181 on Tuesday. The official increase clearly does not reflect the 10-fold increase of testing described by DOH.
Rescue Mission moves vulnerable shelter users to Bellarmine HS
Updated at 8:15 a.m.
The Tacoma Rescue Mission has become the second homeless shelter in the city to relocate individuals vulnerable to the spread of coronavirus and COVID-19.
On Monday, according to the mission, 50 men who had previously been staying at the emergency overnight shelter on South Tacoma Way were transported to Bellarmine High School, where they spent the night in the school’s Names Family gym.
In a statement, the mission said the men had been “identified as at-risk, due to age and underlying health conditions.”
Last week, the Nativity House emergency overnight shelter at South 14th and Yakima Avenue moved nearly 60 vulnerable shelter users to a downtown hotel. In both cases, the facilities made the decision to relocate vulnerable individuals to protect them and create additional space for social distancing.
According to Tacoma Rescue Mission, officials from Bellarmine “stepped forward, offering use of their Names Family gym to relieve crowded conditions at the Mission’s men’s campus.”
The deal is “temporary,” according to the Rescue Mission and the high school, and “intended to remain in place while the school is shut down and social distancing is needed.”
This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 8:17 AM with the headline "Coronavirus updates: $1.8M for rural counties; Washington state may ‘stay home’ longer."
