Coronavirus updates: Inslee issues guidance for real estate, fitness in Phase 2
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Wednesday, May 21.
Updated at 3 p.m.
Pierce County on Wednesday reported 10 new COVID-19 cases and one new death.
The county’s totals now stand at 1,830 cases and 71 deaths, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Daily case totals can change as the county receives new information about cases, finds duplicate data or is assigned cases originally attributed to other counties.
The new death involved a Puyallup woman in her 60s with underlying health conditions.
The county’s COVID-19 tracking page estimated the number of still-active confirmed cases at 659 on Wednesday, with 1,171 assumed recovered.
There have been 21,744 coronavirus tests run on Pierce County residents with 7.8 percent of them positive as of May 18, according to state Department of Health data. That total does not include negative tests from long-term care facilities or tests not yet assigned to a county, according to the county health department.
Among the other Wednesday updates in the weekly portion of the county data, hospitalizations were down from the previous week, and the percentage breakdown of deaths since the start of COVID-19 deaths in the county were as follows:
▪ Hospitalized: 57.8 percent.
▪ Lived or worked in a care facility: 66.2 percent.
▪ Had underlying health conditions: 97.2 percent.
As many as 295 confirmed COVID-19 cases (16.8 percent of total cases) in Pierce County are health care workers.
This week, the county reported 445 cases at congregate care facilities, up from 415 last week. The “Other Facilities” listing includes sites with fewer than 10 cases or fewer than 30 beds. It also includes homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters and rehabilitation centers.
Cases at care facilities among residents and staff as of Wednesday are listed with previous week’s totals in parentheses. Newly listed locations will only show one case total:
▪ Heartwood Extended Health Care, Tacoma: 70 (no change)
▪ Alpha Cottages (Gibraltar Assisted Living), Central Pierce County: 36 (no change)
▪ Avamere Puget Sound Transitional Care, Tacoma: 32 (no change)
▪ Lindon Grove, Puyallup: 66 (54)
▪ Orchard Park Health and Rehab Center, Tacoma, 22 (20)
▪ Pioneer Place Memory Haven, Central Pierce County: 15 (no change)
▪ The Cottages at Edgewood, Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 14 (no change)
▪ People’s Retirement Center, Tacoma: 19 (18)
▪ Other facilities, multiple areas: 171 (156)
Wednesday’s geographical case totals are listed below with previous day’s totals in parentheses:
▪ Bonney Lake: 44 (no change)
▪ Central Pierce County: 132 (no change)
▪ East Pierce County: 49 (no change)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 87 (no change)
▪ Frederickson: 64 (no change)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 52 (no change)
▪ Graham: 54 (no change)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 7 (no change)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 46 (no change)
▪ Lakewood: 189 (185)
▪ Parkland: 102 (101)
▪ Puyallup: 132 (128)
▪ South Hill: 100 (no change)
▪ South Pierce County: 38 (no change)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 21 (no change)
▪ Spanaway: 63 (no change)
▪ Tacoma: 583 (no change)
▪ University Place: 59 (no change)
▪ Unknown: 8 (no change)
Free COVID-19 Testing at Sea Mar Federal Way Medical Clinic
Updated at 3 p.m.
Sea Mar Community Health Centers is hosting free scheduled drive-thru and walk-up appointments for COVID-19 testing every Tuesday from 12 p.m.-4 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Those looking to get a test must first call the Sea Mar Federal Way Medical Clinic at 253-681-6600.
Appointments for COVID-19 testing will be scheduled after an evaluation is done with a Sea Mar provider over the phone. Testing is free for all family members. Health insurance is not required. You do not need to be a Sea Mar patient to receive a test.
The testing site will be in the parking lot of the Sea Mar Federal Way Medical Clinic at 31405 18th Ave S, Federal Way, WA 98003. People who schedule a drive-thru appointment will remain in their cars for their test. People who schedule a walk-up appointment will receive their test outside under a tent.
All tests will be administered by Sea Mar staff. Test results will be expected within 72 hours, with laboratory services by Quest. Weekly free testing is made possible through a partnership with Sea Mar and King County Public Health. Sea Mar medical staff will provide COVID-19 testing services. King County Public Health will provide testing kits and additional supplies.
Sea Mar Federal Way testing hours and Sea Mar testing service locations will be expanded based on demand and available supplies.
Fuzhou donates medical supplies to Tacoma
Updated at 1:20 p.m.
Fuzhou, capital of the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian and Tacoma’s Sister City since 1994, has donated 70,000 disposable medical masks and 500 disposable medical gowns to help curb the spread of COVID-19 locally
”We are very grateful for this gesture of support and wish our friends in Fuzhou well, as we all come together globally in response to this public health and economic crisis,” said Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards. “Our relationship with Fuzhou, the ancestral home of many Chinese-Americans who settled in the Pacific Northwest in the 19th century, has been deep and enduring, and I look forward to the day when I can again share my appreciation with them in person.”
The donated disposable medical masks and gowns will be distributed throughout the local community to help mitigate the impacts of ongoing global supply chain disruptions caused by the persistent and pressing demand for personal protective equipment.
Local home healthcare providers will receive disposable medical masks as well as gowns. Disposable medical masks will also be distributed to other entities involved in the local COVID-19 response, including shelters for those experiencing homelessness, community food banks, community and senior centers, daycare providers, small businesses, the Tacoma Sister Cities Council, Tacoma Public Schools, the Tacoma Dome and the Greater Tacoma Convention Center.
The remainder of the disposable medical masks will be held in reserve by the City of Tacoma in preparation for a possible resurgence of COVID-19 in the fall and winter months.
In late January, the City of Tacoma had received requests for medical resources and supplies from its international partners in Mianyang and Fuzhou, prompting the Tacoma Sister Cities Council to quickly mobilize and provide local community members who wished to help with a secure way to donate funds. More than $1,200 was raised to address the sudden and surging need that existed in China at that time
.In early February, the Tacoma Fire Department was also able to donate 15,000 disposable medical masks from its reserves, with shipment handled by the Washington State Panda Foundation.
The City of Tacoma received thank you letters from its international partners in Mianyang and Fuzhou at the end of February, followed by offers of assistance in March.
Free PPE for Pierce County businesses while supplies last
Updated at 1:20 p.m.
Pierce County is providing free personal protective equipment (PPE) to county businesses to help them comply with COVID-19 workplace safety practices and protect employees and customers. This program is funded through $158 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act federal dollars. A total of $30 million will be focused on economic stabilization and recovery projects in Pierce County.
To receive PPE, businesses must fill out a PPE Request Form at www.piercecountywa.gov/BusinessPPE and indicate the type of PPE needed. Available PPE includes disposable, non-surgical masks and no-touch infrared forehead thermometers, while supplies last.
PPE will be distributed June 1-June 3, and businesses that request PPE will receive additional details regarding pick-up locations in Pierce County.
Business owners or managers should visit www.piercecountywa.gov/BusinessPPE to request PPE. Businesses must be located in Pierce County to be eligible. For more information, contact the Pierce County Economic Development Department at (253) 798-6150 or PCBizPPE@piercecountywa.gov.
Inslee issues guidance for real estate, fitness operations
Updated at 8:35 a.m.
Gov. Jay Inslee today issued guidance for resuming real estate and fitness operations in Phase 2.
Through the Washington “Safe Start” plan, more businesses and activities will re-open in phases, with adequate safety and health standards in place. Each phase will be at least three weeks.
Additionally, counties with less than 10 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents over a 14-day span can apply for a variance to move to Phase 2 of “Safe Start” before other parts of the state. County variance applications will be approved or denied by the secretary of the Department of Health. Ten counties have received the variance.
- A full list of real estate requirements is available here.
- A full list of fitness and training requirements is available here.
- A full list of all guidances that have been released is available here.
State files for injunction against Puyallup gym hosting protest against stay-home orders
Updated at 8:35 a.m.
The state is suing the Puyallup gym protesting the COVID-19 “stay at home” orders after the business allegedly ignored a cease-and-desist letter.
The Washington Office of the Attorney General announced Tuesday that it is seeking an injunction against two gyms: The Northwest Fitness Co. and a Snohomish County gym, PA Fitness.
A state investigator served the Puyallup gym on 4301 S. Meridian a cease-and-desist letter on Friday, the complaint said. The letter contends the gym was “open in violation of the Governor’s Proclamation.” The letter ordered the business to close within 48 hours.
The investigator confirmed on Monday that the fitness gym still was open and members were seen working out, the complaint filed with the Pierce County Superior Court said.
The gyms’ owners did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The News Tribune.
The state claims the Puyallup gym has violated the Consumer Protection Act three times.
The state contends the gym has an unfair advantage over its competitors which are complying with Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” proclamation, is violating the stay-home orders for businesses deemed “non-essential,” and that by opening, this business “is injurious” to the public’s interest.
If the gyms close within 24 hours of the complaint filed Monday, the state said it would not seek fines. If the suits head to court and the state prevails, both gyms would be mandated to close and comply with the governor’s orders, based on the state’s requests listed in the complaint.
The Puyallup gym could also be forced to pay a fine up to $6,000.
Northwest Fitness Co. opened its doors on May 5 to allow members to work out in protest of the orders that all non-essential businesses close to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19.
Gym owners Mike Baker and Shane Cowhig have insisted that the business was not open but rather a space for an indoor protest. The gym’s website says it is not open.
“We are not, I repeat not, taking monthly payments out during this protest. We are not opening. We are just inviting members to participate in the protest,” the statement on Facebook said.
The website offers three “protest specials” for those who join the gym during the protest.
In a previous story, Baker said the protests would continue until the restrictions have been lifted.
Washington state reaches 18,811 cases
Updated at 8:35 a.m.
The Washington State Department of Health reported 200 new COVID-19 cases and 29 additional deaths Tuesday.
Statewide case totals have reached 18,811, while the state’s death toll is now at 1,031.
King County continues to have the highest numbers, reporting 7,565 cases and 534 deaths. Snohomish County has reached 2,818 cases and 132 deaths, and Yakima County has reached 2,444 cases and 81 deaths.
Pierce County reported 20 new cases and two additional deaths Tuesday — a Puyallup man in his 80s and a Tacoma man in his 70s, both with underlying health conditions — bringing its totals to 1,821 cases and 70 deaths.
Of the state’s 39 counties, all but Garfield County have reported cases, with Benton (652), Chelan (182), Clark (391), Douglas (130), Franklin (464), Grant (186), Island (176), King (7,565), Kitsap (161), Pierce (1,821), Skagit (426), Snohomish (2,818), Spokane (411), Thurston (124), Walla Walla (106), Whatcom (359) and Yakima (2,444) all reporting more than 100 cases.
Twenty-four counties have reported at least one virus-related death. All but five of those counties have reported multiple deaths, with Benton (58), Clark (22), Franklin (18), Island (10), King (534), Pierce (70), Skagit (15), Snohomish (132), Spokane (31), Whatcom (36) and Yakima (81) all reporting at least 10.
Gov. Jay Inslee announced Tuesday 10 of the state’s counties are eligible to apply for variance to move to Phase 2 of the Washington’s reopening plan, including Adams, Clallam, Clark, Island, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, San Juan, Spokane and Thurston.
The state DOH has already approved the applications of 10 other counties to move into Phase 2, including Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, Lincoln, Ferry, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Stevens, Wahkiakum, and Whitman.
Grays Harbor and Jefferson are also eligible, but haven’t applied.
Northwest Trek to let people drive their cars through wildlife park for first time ever
Updated at 8:35 a.m.
Northwest Trek deputy director Rick Dietz never thought he’d be letting people drive their own cars through the wildlife park.
But in a global pandemic that requires safe social distancing, Dietz and his team had to get creative.
“We’re all feeling the effects of being cooped up inside, and we wanted to provide an opportunity for our community to enjoy nature,” Dietz said.
This month Northwest Trek launched Wild Drive, a new tour that opens up the park’s 435-acre free-roaming area to visitors interested in catching sight of a moose or mountain goat from the comfort of their own cars. Visitors can see dozens of native wildlife — maybe even a newborn bison — in meadows, wetlands and forests.
Typically, Northwest Trek offers tours through the park on its own trams, but those tours don’t follow the governor’s safety protocols for phase one activities. Wild Drive, which was approved by the governor’s office earlier this month, does.
Wild Drive allows for a small caravan of cars, 10 at a time, led in front and behind by park staff. Guests can download a live audio app to hear park staff talk in real time about the native Northwest species as they drive by. The caravan will move slowly, and the cars will stay in line, Dietz said.
To participate, people must first register and pay online for the day they’d like to visit. Registrations can be made at nwtrek.org.
Wild Drive costs $80 per vehicle for non-members and $70 per vehicle for members. A maximum of eight people are allowed per vehicle.
The first few tours are open to members only but will open to the general public starting May 27 and are held several times a day, Wednesday through Sunday. The tours last about an hour.
This story was originally published May 20, 2020 at 8:37 AM with the headline "Coronavirus updates: Inslee issues guidance for real estate, fitness in Phase 2."
