Coronavirus updates: Tacoma launches rental assistance program
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Wednesday, April 22..
Updated at 3 p.m.
Pierce County on Wednesday reported 17 new COVID-19 cases and four new deaths.
The county’s new totals are 1,236 cases, 40 deaths, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
The new deaths include a Tacoma woman in her 70s ; two Edgewood/Fife/Milton area men, one in his 80s and one in his 70s, ; and an East Pierce County man in his 70s. All had underlying health conditions.
The health department has updated its searchable map to search cases by census tract. The map on Wednesday showed tracts around Frederickson, Parkland and a tract that includes the 72nd and Portland Avenue area were among those to have the highest counts of 20 or more cases.
Its hospitalization rate chart was updated Wednesday to show that the number of hospital stays had decreased over the previous week; 28 compared with 40 the previous week.
Both of those weeks show a marked decline from the peak of March 29-April 1, when 71 hospital stays occurred, according to Wednesday’s county data.
In a blog post Wednesday, the health department estimated 181 people in the county to have likely recovered.
“We wait 28 days after a person’s diagnosis was reported to the Health Department before we consider them likely recovered. The bulk of our cases are still on the recovery spectrum.”
Additionally, it noted:
266 people were reported 3 to 4 weeks ago. “We can report on this group by April 29.”
373 were reported 2 to 3 weeks ago (April 1-April 7). “We can report by May 6.”
229 were reported 1 to 2 weeks ago (April 8-14). “We can report by May 13.”
216 were reported in the past week (April 15-21). “We can report by May 20.”
The report was given before Wednesday’s case count, and the totals do not add up to Wednesday’s total.
Previous day’s totals are subject to change as case investigations unfold or cases are reassigned to other areas. On some days, the individual counts do not add up to the day’s official total. The health department only reports cases in geographic areas with populations greater than 20,000 people.
The county has not been reporting test result numbers or rates, previously citing delays with the state data reporting system.
Wednesday’s geographical totals are listed below with Tuesday’s totals in parentheses:
▪ Bonney Lake: 33 (32)
▪ Central Pierce County: 96 (no change)
▪ East Pierce County: 36 (no change)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 67 (66)
▪ Frederickson: 43 (no change)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 50 (no change)
▪ Graham: 39 (no change)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 7 (no change)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 34 (33)
▪ Lakewood: 110 (108)
▪ Parkland: 59 (no change)
▪ Puyallup: 60 (58)
▪ South Hill: 69 (68)
▪ South Pierce County: 23 (no change)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 15 (no change)
▪ Spanaway: 39 (37)
▪ Tacoma: 412 (406)
▪ University Place: 41 (40)
▪ Unknown: 3 (no change)
Daily reports include cases received by 11:59 p.m. the previous day.
WA teachers can assign letter grades or ‘incomplete’ during pandemic
Updated at 1:50 p.m.
The state released new directions late Tuesday for how school districts should go about grading more than a million students amid school shutdowns from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The guidance directs districts to provide a letter grade (such as A, B or C) or an “incomplete” to students in grades 9-12.
No student will receive a “pass,” “fail” or “no credit” grade for any course, the guidance states. Fs cannot be given.
“Fs will not be allowed — there will be no failures this term,” Reykdal said in a media conference on Wednesday.
Deploying a pass/fail grading system is not an option due to concerns that it is not equitable and does not guarantee students will receive future credit, including college or scholarships, according to OSPI.
If students earn an “incomplete,” they will be given opportunities by districts to make up the credit through summer school, courses in the following term or year, independent study, competency-based courses or online courses.
Reykdal anticipates there won’t be many “incomplete” grades for seniors as districts work to ensure they graduate.
The state also will provide a COVID-19 designation on student transcripts for classes taken during the closure so colleges are aware of the “unique environment in which the course was taken,” according to the guidance.
The changes mostly lie with grades 9-12. Middle and elementary school grading largely will remain the same, Reykdal said, since they are either not issued letter grades or those grades do not impact high school crediting-bearing courses.
K-8 students will “move on to the next grade, unless by mutual agreement between parents/guardians and teachers they agree to repeat a grade or a portion of learning missed,” according to the OSPI guidance.
Inslee facing growing resistance to stay-home order
Updated at 1:50 p.m.
The sheriff of Washington state’s third largest county says he won’t enforce Gov. Jay Inslee’s stay-at-home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, saying it violates people’s constitutional rights, and House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox warned public patience is hitting a tipping point if some changes aren’t made soon.
Snohomish County Sheriff Adam Fortney announced his position on Facebook Tuesday night, following a statewide address by Inslee in which the governor said the state will not be able to lift many of the stay-at-home restrictions implemented to fight the coronavirus by May 4. That’s the date through which the current directive is currently in place — but Inslee hopes health modeling in the coming days will allow resumption of some activities.
Also Wednesday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Joshua Freed sued Inslee in federal court, challenging the current prohibition on religious gatherings under the stay-at-home order. The complaint contends the prohibition is a violation of First Amendment rights pertaining to religious freedom, free speech and assembly.
Inslee has said a return to public life will take a series of steps and that until several markers are met — including adequate testing and a vaccine — preventing an increase in new cases is the main priority. And he announced a plan to have about 1,500 workers focused solely on contact tracing in place by the second week of May.
Cases at beef plant reach 100
Updated at 12:15 p.m.
All employees of a Tyson Fresh Meats beef plant near the Tri-Cities will eventually be tested for COVID-19 and then sent home to self-isolate until test results come back.
“This may require the plant to close for a day or two, depending on when the testing can take place and how long it takes to get results back,” said Meghan DeBolt, director of the Walla Walla County Department of Community Health.
The Tri-City Herald reported the decision to test all employees was announced on Tuesday as the number of known confirmed and probable cases associated with the plant reached 100. Workers at the plant live in Washington state and Oregon.
The case total includes 91 residents of Benton and Franklin counties, eight in Walla Walla County and one in Umatilla County, Oregon.
The Walla Walla County health department plans to start testing within the next week.
The plant employs more than 1,400 workers to slaughter and pack beef in Wallula, just south of Pasco.
City of Tacoma launches rental assistance program
Updated at 8:35 a.m.
The City of Tacoma has allocated $1.2 million to assist eligible households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with rent payments.
The program, which launched on Wednesday, provides a one-time payment of up to $1,000 directly to landlords of selected individuals or families who live in the city limits of Tacoma and have experienced loss of employment or reduction in wages due to COVID-19 resulting in an income level at or below 50 percent Area Median Income for Pierce County.
To apply for the City’s rental assistance program, people can submit an application online at cityoftacoma.org/coronavirus. The application will be accepted through May 6, 2020, and will be included in an award lottery. In keeping with the City’s Welcoming Cities Policy, we will not be tracking or providing information to Immigration and Customs Enforcement about immigration or citizenship status.
Some funds have been set aside for direct referrals by community agencies that are helping to address inequities faced by people of color in our community. If you are a service provider that would like to make a direct referral, please contact LASA at communityengagement@lasawa.org.
People who need translation services or have trouble accessing the online link, can call (253) 582-5230 Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon for assistance.
The City is anticipating the program will be able to process about 100 applications per week and to complete the distribution of funds over a fifteen-week period.
Inslee says ‘return to public life will occur in measured steps’
Updated at 8:35 a.m.
Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday evening outlined a roadmap for a “safe return to public life” from the new coronavirus pandemic, but he did not say when the stay-at-home order and partial business closures will end.
As part of his strategy to slow the spread of the disease which has killed 682 Washington residents, Inslee last month ordered all “non-essential businesses” to shut down and for residents to stay home, unless they are deemed “essential” workers. The governor has extended the order through May 4.
“We’re going to take steps and then monitor to see whether they work or if we must continue to adapt. We will not be able to lift many of those restrictions by May 4. And we will let you know when we can lift restrictions as soon as we know,” he said in a speech televised and streamed around the state.
Inslee said the state believes it can soon allow some elective surgeries to resume, provided health professionals have appropriate personal protective equipment.
“We also hope we can begin to let people take part in outdoor recreation that is so much a part of our Northwest identity, as well as our physical and mental health,” the governor said.
A work group with members from business and labor presented Inslee last Wednesday with a plan to restart existing construction projects that can be performed meeting social distancing requirements. Higher-risk construction would resume later, in phases.
“We hope to implement it very soon,” the governor said.
After the speech, Inslee Chief of Staff David Postman said the three restrictions possibly could be lifted before May 4. He also said discussions in the governor’s office about outdoor recreation included fishing and hunting.
Inslee warned against moving too quickly to lift all of the measures put into place to provide social distancing, which is for people to stay at least six feet apart from others.
Washington state reports 197 new COVID-19 cases, 30 deaths
Updated at 8:35 a.m.
The Washington State Department of Health on Tuesday reported 197 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 30 additional deaths.
The statewide total is now at 12,282 cases with 682 deaths, meaning 5.6% of confirmed cases have resulted in death.
DOH also reported that 145,031 tests have now been given in Washington with 8.5% coming back positive.
King County continues to be the hardest hit with 5,360 cases and 373 deaths. Snohomish County has 2,152 cases and 99 deaths. DOH has Pierce County with 1,148 cases and 35 deaths.
There are 122 cases and one death that haven’t been assigned a county. Garfield County remains the only county in the state without a confirmed case.
Pierce County Council allocates additional money in small business funding, food bank support
Updated at 8:35 a.m.
The Pierce County Council on Tuesday took steps to support Pierce County residents and business owners struggling with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Building on the COVID-19 Emergency Small Business Relief Loan Program the Council previously created, council members passed an emergency ordinance that expands the program’s funding by $3 million.
The program eligibility has also been expanded to include employers with up to 20 employees for businesses located anywhere in Pierce County, including incorporated cities.
The Pierce County Council created the COVID-19 Emergency Small Business Relief Loan Program on March 24, with the allocation of $640,000 for small businesses of 10 or fewer employees in unincorporated Pierce County.
The program, administered by the Pierce County Economic Development Department, was designed to keep businesses located in unincorporated Pierce County in operation and protect jobs threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Economic Development Department started reviewing loan applications on March 26.
To date, more than 198 applications have been received from Pierce County businesses, including 86 companies located in incorporated Pierce County. With more than 55 loans approved, the initial funding has nearly been expended.
An application and information can be found at https://www.piercecountywa.gov/6770/Emergency-Small-Business-Relief-Loan-Pro, by emailing PCSBRLoan@piercecountywa.gov or calling 253-798-6150.
By emergency ordinance, the Council also tripled its funding for the Emergency Food Network to provide food security to those in need. The Council provided in additional $500,00 in funding to the $250,000 previously approved in March for food banks throughout Pierce County.
This story was originally published April 22, 2020 at 8:43 AM.
