Closure of restaurants, bars in Washington state will last 2 weeks and may be extended

Gov. Jay Inslee said Monday that a statewide closure of restaurants, bars, entertainment and recreational facilities will last two weeks and may be extended as the state uses social distancing to try to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Speaking via teleconference from Seattle, Inslee said the executive proclamation will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

“The reason is quite clear. We represent about 2 per cent of the population of the United States, but we represent over 20 per cent of the infections...In Washington state, the science is clear that this action is absolutely necessary to the continuation and rebirth of our culture and our economy and our family life,” he said.

Restaurants will be allowed to provide take-out, drive-thru and delivery services, but no in-person dining will be permitted.

“If this pandemic is symbolized by the medical mask, then perhaps our resilience will be represented by the take-out box,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine, who joined Inslee at the press conference.

The ban also covers food courts, bars and taverns, coffee shops, theaters, gyms and fitness centers, donut shops, ice cream parlors, wine and beer-tasting venues, breweries and distilleries; beauty salons, barbers, and nail salons; tattoo parlors, museums and art galleries.

Inslee said the state will “do everything we can” to help workers and businesses affected by the closure.

The ban will not apply to grocery stores, pharmacies, child care and day care facilities, K-12 school-based food programs, convenience stores and banks.

“We all are in this together and we don’t want to stress the supply chain unnecessarily. So when you purchase things, this is a moment to think of your neighbors, not just your immediate family so we can keep this supply chain open,” Inslee said.

Retail outlets must designate a person to implement a social distancing plan, which would include keeping people at least six feet apart, Inslee said.

Sit-down food services at universities and colleges will be prohibited, but students will have access to “grab-and-go” food and can dine in their dorm room, the governor said.

The Washington Hospitality Association, a trade group which represents businesses including restaurants, referred to Inslee’s move as a “courageous decision to put the health of our families first.”

Anthony Anton, the association’s president and chief executive officer, offered advice to restaurants including determining how long they can go on “minimum revenue,” transitioning servers to delivery drivers, and supporting laid-off employees as they apply for unemployment benefits.

Also, Inslee lowered the statewide ban on public gatherings from 250 people and more, to 50 and more. Events with fewer than 50 people are prohibited unless previously announced criteria for public health and social distancing are met, the governor said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has urged a nationwide halt to gatherings of 50 people and more for the next eight weeks.

Inslee’s announcement was the latest in a series of emergency actions taken to combat the pandemic through “social distancing” — keeping people away from others at schools, work or events to help limit transmission of the virus.

On March 5, when Vice President Mike Pence visited Washington state to compliment the state’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak, the number of cases was 70 in three counties and the state death toll reached 11.

Since then, the number of cases has increased by more than ten-fold and the number of deaths has nearly quadrupled.

On March, 10, Inslee announced 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. He expanded that order on March 13 to include adult family homes.

Inslee on March 11 banned public gatherings and events of 250 people and more in Pierce, King, and Snohomish counties.

The announcement came a day after the governor the number of people infected with the virus in seven or eight weeks in Washington could reach 64,000 with 600 to 1,900 deaths in one week if “we don’t somehow slow down this epidemic.”

On March, 12, Inslee ordered K-12 public and private schools in Pierce, King, and Snohomish counties to close from March 17 through April 24.

“Although this virus presents much milder symptoms in children, health professionals have told us that closing schools could create a significant cut in the peak number of ultimate infections. And closing school districts will help slow the transmission of this dangerous virus.

On March 13, Inslee used an executive order to expand the school closures statewide and also expanded the ban on public events and gatherings of 250 people or more to all counties. He ordered higher education institutions to not hold face-to-face classes during the six-week period, although online classes can be held.

At 3:45 p.m. Monday, the state Department of Health said there were 904 confirmed cases of coronavirus in 18 counties and 48 deaths.

Compared to the figures released on Sunday, that’s an increase of 135 cases, one additional county, and an increase of six deaths.

The number of King County cases increased to 488 from 420 on Sunday, including the six deaths. There have been 43 deaths in King County, four in Snohomish County and one in Grant County.

Pierce County cases increased to 38 on Monday, from 29 on Sunday.

There are three cases each in Thurston and Whatcom counties.

This story was originally published March 16, 2020 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Closure of restaurants, bars in Washington state will last 2 weeks and may be extended."