Coronavirus updates: More than 100 state parks set to reopen; state passes 15K cases
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Saturday, May 2.
WASHINGTON PASSES 15K COVID-19 CASES, HAS TESTED MORE THAN 207K
Updated 4:10 p.m.
The Washington State Department of Health reported 366 new COVID-19 cases and six additional deaths Saturday.
Statewide case totals have reached 15,003, while the state’s death toll is now at 830, up from 14,637 cases and 824 deaths Friday.
King County continues to be the hardest hit, reporting 6,351 cases and 457 deaths. Snohomish County has reached 2,493 cases and 109 deaths, and Pierce County is reporting 1,484 cases and 52 deaths.
Of the state’s 39 counties, all but Garfield County have reported cases, with Benton (494), Chelan (114), Clark (328), Franklin (348), Grant (169), Island (169), King (6,351), Kitsap (150), Pierce (1,484), Skagit (345), Snohomish (2,493), Spokane (366), Thurston (111), Whatcom (312) and Yakima (1,272) all reporting more than 100 cases.
Twenty-two counties have reported at least one virus-related death. All but five of those counties have reported multiple deaths, with Benton (43), Clark (19), Franklin (10), King (457), Pierce (52), Skagit (13), Snohomish (109), Spokane (22), Whatcom (28) and Yakima (47) all reporting at least 10.
There are 100 cases that have not been assigned to a county.
There have been 207,315 tests completed in Washington, with positive results at 7.2%.
The DOH is also now reporting downloadable datasets that break down cases and deaths by week, county and age. These datasets are updated each Sunday.
Preliminary data on total hospitalizations for confirmed cases — broken down by admission date, date of illness onset, age, sex and race and ethnicity — are also now available.
PIERCE COUNTY REPORTS 27 NEW CASES, 1 DEATH
Updated 2:30 p.m.
Pierce County reported 27 new COVID-19 cases Saturday, bringing its total to 1,484.
The county also reported one additional death — a Tacoma woman in her 80s with underlying health conditions — and has now reported 52 deaths related to COVID-19 since the outbreak began.
It was the first death reported in the county since Tuesday.
Ten of the county’s geographical areas reported at least one new case, with Tacoma, which is now at 496 cases, reporting nine. Tacoma has also reported the most deaths in the county with 16.
The county is now also reporting case information for long-term care facilities on its interactive map. According to the map, six care facilities in the county account for between 181-185 of the total cases, or about 12%.
Daily case totals can change as the county receives new information about cases, finds duplicate data or is assigned cases that were originally attributed to other counties. The health department has released a statement on delays in data posting.
Saturday’s geographical totals are listed below with Friday’s numbers in parenthesis:
▪ Bonney Lake: 36 (no change)
▪ Central Pierce County: 112 (110)
▪ East Pierce County: 42 (40)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 78 (77)
▪ Frederickson: 50 (no change)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 50 (no change)
▪ Graham: 48 (45)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 7 (no change)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 38 (no change)
▪ Lakewood: 146 (144)
▪ Parkland: 78 (76)
▪ Puyallup: 74 (70)
▪ South Hill: 76 (no change)
▪ South Pierce County: 33 (32)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 17 (no change)
▪ Spanaway: 49 (48)
▪ Tacoma: 496 (487)
▪ University Place: 48 (no change)
▪ Unknown: 6 (no change)
Daily reports include cases received by 11:59 p.m. the previous day.
WASHINGTON STATE PARKS RELEASES LIST OF PROPERTIES REOPENING TUESDAY
Updated 12:30 p.m.
More than 100 parks and properties are set to reopen next week, Washington State Parks said in a release Saturday.
In line with the first phase of Gov. Jay Inslee’s updated stay-at-home order, which was extended Friday and includes a four-phase approach to reopening the state, State Parks will open many areas for day use only, and take steps to ensure socially distancing continues.
Locations like Lake Sammamish, Saint Edward in Kenmore and Dash Point in Federal Way will limit available parking to minimize crowds. Restroom availability may also be limited at some parks.
State Parks also asks visitors remain close to home, check the status of parks or trailheads before arriving, bring their own hand-washing supplies, and follow the state’s guidelines for responsible recreation.
Some sites — such as all ocean beach parks and those along the Columbia River Gorge — will remain closed until further notice.
“Parks is working with local communities, natural resource agencies and our partners in Oregon to determine the appropriate timing for reopening these areas,” the release says. “No specific timeline has been identified for opening these park areas.”
State Parks asks visitors to respect closures and only visit parks that have been reopened for use.
Beaches and camping are identified as eligible reopen during the second phase of Inslee’s plan.
A full list of parks and properties opening Tuesday can be found on the State Parks website.
DASHBOARD PROVIDES OVERVIEW OF DATA DISCUSSED AMONG STATE LEADERS
Updated 11 a.m.
Gov. Jay Inslee spoke at length during press conference Wednesday about the data state leadership discusses when deciding how to proceed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Washington residents can keep up with that data on the state’s risk assessment dashboard, which is updated each Wednesday.
It includes five dials, which assess risk to the public based on disease activity, risk to vulnerable populations, testing capacity and availability, case and count investigations and health care system readiness.
“This dashboard provides a high-level overview of the main data points discussed among state leaders and the level of risk experts perceive around the current numbers,” the website says. “It is not intended to represent the totality of all COVID-19 related data. The state is currently developing several new systems for collecting, compiling and reporting much of the data outlined below and this dashboard will link to those new systems as they are completed. In the meantime, where possible, we’ve linked to the data that is currently available or created a snapshot that summarizes the most recent information available.”
MANY IN WASHINGTON STILL WAITING ON BENEFITS
Updated 10 a.m.
Unemployment claims in Washington surged again last week as eligibility expanded, and the state continues to work to catch up.
According the Employment Security Department’s latest data, 137,605 people applied for new unemployment benefits for the week ending April 25 — a 67% jump from the week before.
Since early March, when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the state, the ESD estimates 787,533 residents have filed claims, and 504,284 have received payment, leaving more than 280,000 still waiting to receive benefits.
ESD Commissioner Suzi LeVine addressed the delay earlier this week, and said in a statement the department is working to resolve open cases.
“While the team at the Employment Security Department has helped hundreds of thousands of people get unemployment benefits since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, we know that there are still many who are awaiting their payments,” the statement says. “It is beyond frustrating for these individuals and we will continue to work night and day until everyone receives their benefits.”
There were 16,680 people who filed a new claim for the week ending April 25, which brings the total new claims since March 21 to 106,327 — or, 23.3% of the county’s workforce as of February.
IKEA PROVIDES SUPPLIES TO PIERCE COUNTY SHELTERS
Updated 9:30 a.m.
IKEA, which has one Washington location in Renton, donated a truck full of supplies to Pierce County homeless shelters this week, according to the county health department.
As part of its plan to donate $1.6 million in supplies across the United States, IKEA sent a semitruck of supplies to Life Center Tacoma on Monday afternoon where 25 volunteers helped unload and sort the donations.
“Our guests will be so happy to have a brand new towel and blankets,” Melissa Moss of Catholic Community Services said in a release.
Washington is one of nine states receiving help from IKEA.
IKEA’s Renton location remains temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though online shopping remains available.
ALASKA AIRLINES TO REQUIRE FACE MASKS IN AIRPORT, ON FLIGHTS
Updated 9 a.m.
Alaska Airlines said in a statement Friday it will make wearing face masks mandatory for its passengers and frontline employees beginning this month.
“Safety is our most important value at Alaska Airlines, and thanks to our employees we have an incredibly safe operation,” Alaska Airlines vice president of safety Max Tidwell said in a release. “In light of COVID-19, we’re in a new era of air travel and are continually updating our safety standards to better protect our guests and employees. For now, this includes wearing masks, which is another layer of protection that can reduce the spread of the virus.”
Those who fly with the airline will be “expected to bring their own mask and will be required to wear it throughout the airport and flight experience” beginning May 11 the statement says.
Additional masks will be supplied for those who forget to bring their own, the statement says, and the temporary policy will be reevaluated periodically. The airline says it will share more specific details about the new requirements with fliers next week and in pre-trip communications when they book.
Employees of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air who are unable to maintain 6 feet of distance from fliers or coworkers due to close working environments will also be required to wear masks beginning Monday. This group includes pilots, flight attendants and customer service agents.
The new mask requirement is an addition to the other safety measures the airline has already implemented, including enhanced cleanings of aircrafts, airport counters and lounges, limiting passengers and blocking middle or aisle seats on some flights through May 31, adding social distancing markers at airports and using hospital-grade air filters on aircrafts.
BOY SCOUTS HOSTING ‘NATIONAL CAMP-IN’
Updated 8:30 a.m.
The Boy Scouts of America are offering a solution to those experiencing cabin fever during the COVID-19 pandemic — camping in.
Though some outdoor activities are set to resume in Washington next week under the first phase of Gov. Jay Inslee’s plan to gradually reopen the state, the ban on large gatherings remains in effect, and camping out will not be permitted until the second phase.
So, the Boy Scouts are inviting people to camp in all day Saturday.
“Whether in your backyard or in your living room, join families across the country live on Facebook for a day of fun virtual adventures,” the event’s website says.
“From camp-style cooking and friendly competitions, to special guests and campfire singalongs, this virtual event will bring the best parts of Scouting to life!”
The National Camp-In is free and open to everyone, including families whose children are not scouts.
GUARDSMEN CONTINUE TO PACK BOXES OF FOOD TO AID THOSE IN NEED
Updated 8:30 a.m.
The Washington National Guard was deployed to assist local food banks — including Nourish Pierce County — in April, and guardsmen continue to pack bags and boxes of groceries to distribute to those in need.
How fast can a guardsman pack and tape up a box full of canned goods, cereal and other food items to feed families?
“These Airmen are doing it in 90-120 seconds during the busy days,” the Washington National Guard tweeted Thursday.
Like the rest of the state, Pierce County’s demand for food assistance has drastically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sue Potter, the Nourish Pierce County CEO, says without the help of the 52 guardsmen standing in for volunteers who have had to stay home, the nonprofit food bank would not be able to distribute food at 23 sites.
They have been packing groceries at a warehouse, helping distribute at the food bank’s sites, operating two mobile food banks and working at five conventional locations.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OPENS MASK-MAKING CHALLENGE
Updated 8 a.m.
Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib’s office announced earlier this week it has partnered with the United Ways of the Pacific Northwest and Serve Washington to open a statewide mask-making challenge to help Washington residents slow the spread of COVID-19.
The initiative — which is using the hashtag #WAMaskChallenge on social media — was set up to encourage production, use and donation of homemade cloth masks.
“There are many organizations in our state that need cloth masks right now,” the lieutenant governor’s website says. “These include nursing homes, homelessness service organizations, food banks, grocery stores, restaurants, and more. Although these organizations are working in close contact with potentially vulnerable populations every day, they are not requesting N95 or other manufactured masks, which must be prioritized for frontline healthcare providers working with COVID-19 patients.”
The site also reminds the general public to wear cloth masks or coverings when leaving their homes, per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here are the guidelines for how to participate in the mask-making challenge:
Follow the instructions for an 11-step face mask provided on the website, while also following the sanitation guidelines to ensure your workspace and materials are safe for donation.
Make a minimum of 10 masks for donation.
Fill out the Google Form provided on the website so your donation can be tracked. The lieutenant governor’s office will respond with instructions via email about where to send your masks.
Further questions can be directed via email to the lieutenant governor’s office.
Organizations in need can also request masks on the website, which will be mailed directly from the makers, and are encouraged to follow CDC recommendations for sanitizing the masks when they arrive.
ESD COMMISSIONER ADDRESSES WAIT FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Updated 8 a.m.
With unemployment benefit claims continuing to climb in Washington — one in five workers has in the state have filed since March — state Employment Security Department Commissioner Suzi LeVine released a statement earlier this week addressing the delay some have experienced in receiving their benefits.
“We know people are struggling all across the state and many are in desperate situations,” LeVine said in a statement Thursday. “These are our friends, neighbors and families. I am so sorry that we haven’t been able to provide everyone with relief when they need it and we will continue to work hard to eliminate this backlog and get money to all those who are eligible as quickly as possible.”
Claims can be pending for several reasons, the statement says, the most common being a discrepancy in the information the employee entered when applying, and the information reported by their employer.
To ensure eligibility, these cases are normally adjudicated within 21 days, the statement says.
“That means additional information is requested and reviewed by a trained adjudicator and a decision is made in about three weeks,” the statement says. “However, right now is anything but normal.”
There have been more claims in the past seven weeks, the statement says, than in the past 3 1/2 years combined, which has caused the backlog.
“The work of an adjudicator requires specialized training and additional skill development in order to make sure these cases are fairly and accurately processed, and it takes time to staff up this team,” the statement says. “In the meantime, we know that people continue to wait for an answer.
“It is our agency’s number one priority to get benefits to those people who are eligible for some form of unemployment assistance and who are still waiting.”
In the statement, LeVine outlined four ways the ESD is addressing the delay:
ESD is emailing people eligible for benefits to remind them to file their weekly claims and inform them to apply for the expanded benefits under the federal CARES act.
ESD is reaching out to people undergoing adjudication to update them on what is being done to resolve their specific situation.
ESD is speeding up certain claims by “bulk-clearing” issues such as people claiming to be both students and employees. Normally students must prove they have enough hours outside of school to work, but with schools closed or altered do to the pandemic, ESD has cleared this issue from many of its applicants.
ESD is adding to its customer service staff to help people process claims, be more accessible by phone and allow adjudicators to focus on resolving issues with specific claims. The claims staff has “more than tripled,” the statement says, and ESD continues to hire.
LAWSUIT CALLS WASHINGTON SHUTDOWN UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Updated 8 a.m.
A group of citizens, including tax activist Tim Eyman, who is running for governor as a Republican, has filed a lawsuit against Gov. Jay Inslee, claiming his orders during the COVID-19 pandemic have violated their constitutional rights.
“ ... we’re suing Jay Inslee in federal court on his unconstitutional ‘essential versus non-essential’ designation of people and businesses,” Eyman wrote in a statement Thursday. “He’s been deciding who’s in and who’s out based on politics, not the law or our state and federal Constitutions. Now he’s begrudgingly doing baby-step restriction rollbacks due to political pressure and public embarrassment.”
Eyman, Franklin County Republican Party chairman Clint Didier, and five residents of the Tri-Cities and Okanogan County — including Richland nurse Lisa Thomas, wedding planner LaWanda Joy Hatch, Shakey’s Pizza Parlor owner Dean Wellsfry, Okagnogan County beauty salon owner Patty DeTro, and Okanogan auto dealership owner Jason Bernica — are named in the lawsuit. It also generally names “nonessential Washingtonians.”
Inslee extended the state’s stay-at-home order through May 31 during a press conference Friday, and outlined a plan to gradually reopen businesses and recreational activities across the state in four phases.
“The fundamental principle we’re following is, ‘Let’s just do this once and get it over with,’ ” Inslee said during a press conference earlier this week. “And I think it is much better to be disciplined now with this approach rather than have erratic steps at a later date. It’s much better to do something a 100 percent one time than have the sacrifice of 90 percent twice.”
He also shared data the state is using to guide its decisions Wednesday.
The lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, alleges Inslee has “created an unacceptable tyranny in the state,” and seeks a declaratory judgment that the stay-at-home order is unconstitutional and an injunction to prevent further actions.
In a letter publicized by Eyman that he wrote to Attorney General William Barr, he says this was the first of several lawsuits that will be filed.
“On behalf of the non-essential citizens of WA, I urge you and your office to join us in our efforts to Open Washington Now,” the letter says. “Please Mr. Barr, Inslee is not listening to the people who are suffering under his rule. We need your help to convince the judiciary to rein him in before he causes irreparable harm to our lives, liberty, and livelihoods.”
This story was originally published May 2, 2020 at 8:00 AM.
