Coronavirus updates: Inslee bans large gatherings, government to tap strategic stockpile

12:30 p.m.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday announced a ban on gatherings and events of more than 250 people in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties in an attempt to stop the spread of coronavirus.

This includes sporting events and conventions. This does not affect retail or grocery stores.

The restriction will last at least through the end of March.

Inslee instructed school districts to “begin contingency plans” for possible closures in the coming days. Inslee stressed it was imperative in “figuring out what we have to do in the event we have to make these decisions.”

The latest measures in Washington state come on the same day the World Health Organization declared the virus a pandemic, after being reported in at least 114 countries and has killed more than 4,000 people.

Washington state Department of Health has reported 24 deaths in the state so far from the virus.

King County on Wednesday also announced temporary ban of smaller gatherings unless they meet public health guidelines that include measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Inslee and county officials announced the measures at a news conference in Seattle Wednesday morning.

Social distancing measures also are strongly encouraged for businesses. “We ask people to be aggressive and creative in this regard,” Inslee said.

He also said he was “asking public transit officials to follow King County’s lead” in stepped-up cleaning measures.

“We do not want to an avalanche of people coming into our hospitals.” he added, in what could be “thousands” of people who need medical attention.

Further measures could include delayed surgeries at hospitals to expand capability in offering critical care.

Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier emphasized that the “vast majority of our community will come out the other side of this just fine.”

The new measures will potentially affect many cultural and faith centers, Dammeier noted. Many, he said have already been planning, with livestreaming services.

Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards, in a statement, said Wednesday: “Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department issued guidance on Monday that people age 60 and older, people with underlying health conditions and pregnant women should take extra measures to distance themselves from other people and stay at home.

“I encourage those who are healthy and are not from vulnerable populations to find ways to support our community during this time, by engaging in volunteering at food banks and non-profits and investing their dollars in our local business community.”

On Tuesday, Inslee used his emergency powers to announce that people will not be allowed to visit the resident of a nursing home or assisted living facility unless that visitor is an adult, the resident has not already had a visitor that day and the visit takes place in the resident’s room.

Inslee said perhaps the most important way to fight the outbreak is “to protect our aged adults and those who have underlying medical conditions.

The stepped-up health care measures for care centers affect about 55,000 individuals who live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, according to Cheryl Strange, Secretary of the state Department of Health and Social Services.

Macy’s at Tacoma Mall reopens after cleaning

12:04 p.m.

The Macy’s store at Tacoma Mall reopened Wednesday morning after a temporary closure on Tuesday to deep clean the site after it said a worker tested positive for novel coronavirus.

In a statement, a media representative for the retailer told The News Tribune: “Macy’s Tacoma Mall in Tacoma, Washington reopened at 11 a.m. The store has been thoroughly cleaned in compliance with the Center for Disease Control’s recommended preventative protocol and our colleagues are ready to serve our valued customers.”

On Tuesday, the retailer noted the worker had not been in the store since March 3. Macy’s did not provide any further details about the individual or level of exposure to others.

The retailer took the temporary closure measure “to combat any potential health concerns, complying with the Centers for Disease Control’s recommended preventative protocol, including increased cleaning in heavily trafficked areas and hard surfaces which include entrances, customer service stations, vertical transportation, restrooms and break rooms,” according to a statement it provided Tuesday evening to The News Tribune in response to questions.

Government to tap strategic stockpile

8:30 a.m.

The Trump administration will “work through the strategic national stockpile,” a secretive federal warehouse of equipment and medicines reserved for emergencies, in order to send Washington state additional gear to protect health workers against the coronavirus.

The state is among the worst affected by the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar told reporters on Tuesday that the administration was working directly with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to ensure the state’s needs are met.

Earlier reporting indicated that Washington had only received half of their request for respiratory masks. President Donald Trump has said the strategic stockpile includes 43 million of those masks, and his coronavirus task force, led by Vice President Mike Pence, is working to contract with additional manufacturers to produce more.

“They got half of the shipment from the strategic national stockpile initially, and then when the vice president actually went out to the state of Washington, that’s when the second half of the shipment arrived,” Azar said.

“I have spoken directly with Governor Inslee, with whom we’ve had a superb working relationship, and he has informed me that there are some additional personal protective equipment needs that a couple of their hospitals have,“ Azar continued. “We’re working through the strategic national stockpile to make sure we’re directing and fulfilling shipments to them as needed.”

Trump offered harsh words for Washington’s governor last week, calling him a “snake” and encouraging Pence not to praise him in public. Inslee has offered criticism of Trump’s leadership during the public health crisis and was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president last year.

Pence, who has praised Inslee’s job performance amid the outbreak, once again lauded the governor on Tuesday.

“I want to echo again our gratitude to Governor Inslee and all the health officials of the State of Washington,” Pence said.

Bates to close for cleaning

All three campuses of Bates Technical College will be closed Wednesday for cleaning and sanitizing, the school announced on its website.

Pac-12 tournament to go on as planned

The Pac-12 conference men’s basketball tournament begins Wednesday in Las Vegas, and the conference said it will go on as planned with a few adjustments because of the coronavirus situation.

Both Washington schools are scheduled to play in the first round. No. 12 seed Washington plays No. 5 Arizona at 2:30 p.m., and No. 11 Washington State plays No. 6 Colorado at 8:30 p.m.

“The priority of the conference and our member universities is the health and well-being of our student-athletes, campus communities, working and volunteer event personnel and all those who attend Pac-12 events,” the conference said in a release.

Among the changes and precautions for those in attendance at the T-Mobile Arena:

• Enhanced cleaning protocols throughout the arena.

• Increased access to hand sanitizers.

• Locker room access is limited to athletes and essential staff.

• Media will not be permitted to enter team locker rooms, but will have access to interview athletes and coaches at designated areas outside of the locker room.

Tacoma closing senior centers

The City of Tacoma is closing its Beacon Activity Center at 415 S. 13th St. and Lighthouse Activity Center at 5016 A St. beginning at 8 a.m.Wednesday (March 11).

Both are being closed because of caution surrounding the health risk of COVID-19 to people 60 years and older. There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at either center.

The Young Adult Overnight Shelter will continue to operate nightly at Beacon Activity Center.

The city will reevaluate the closure of the centers at the end of the month.

Puyallup lawmakers move town hall to telephone

Because of concerns about COVID-19, a 25th Legislative District town hall meeting originally scheduled for Saturday is being moved to a phone-only meeting on March 17.

Sen. Hans Zeiger and Reps. Kelly Chambers and Chris Gildon, all Puyallup Republicans, will make themselves available to hear from constituents for an hour beginning at 6 p.m.

Households with landlines will receive an invitation phone call. Callers who want to call from somewhere other than their landlines or those with cell phones can participate by calling 253-234-4923.

This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 7:45 AM.