Inslee issues stay-at-home order for 2 weeks except for thousands of ‘essential’ workers

Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday evening ordered most of Washington’s 7.5 million residents to stay home for at least two weeks as the state tries to slow the growing spread of the novel coronavirus that has killed 110 and infected 2,221 people.

“So life will go on, but all of us in every part of Washington it has to do so with this in mind -- stay home, stay healthy. The less time you spend in public, the more lives we can save,” Inslee said during a speech that was televised and streamed online around the state.

The exceptions to the directive are if people are pursuing an essential activity such as shopping for groceries or going to a doctor’s appointment or the pharmacy.

Several businesses will be closed, but those considered “essential to the health and functioning of our community” such as day care centers and gas stations will remain open as well as ones in which people can telecommute.

The governor’s office released categories of businesses in which workers will be exempted from staying home, including those in health care, emergency services, food and agriculture, energy, water and sewage treatment, transportation, communications and information technology, hazardous materials, financial services, chemical, and defense-industrial sectors. Inslee said those sectors were chosen based largely on federal guidelines.

“Any essential business or entity allowed to operate under this order must implement rules that help facilitate social distancing of at least 6 feet,” he said.

Non-essential businesses will have to close after 12:01 a.m. Thursday, Inslee said, but restaurants can continue to offer take-out and delivery.

Inslee issued the “stay-at-home” order because while most Washingtonians are complying with previous proclamations that have restricted gatherings and shut down bars and other businesses, some still have not grasped the seriousness of the pandemic. That included people over the weekend who jammed beaches, and gathered in parks and parking lots at recreational facilities.

The governor’s order bans all public and private gatherings of people for social, spiritual and recreational purposes for two weeks. That includes weddings and funerals that the governor said must be postponed.

Both the ban on going out for non-essential activities and the gatherings of people took effect immediately Monday night.

“This does not mean you can’t go outside,” said Inslee. “If you feel like going for a walk, gardening, going for a bike ride, we consider these things to be essential activities too for everyone’s physical and mental health. We all just have to practice social distancing of at least 6 feet to protect ourselves and others everywhere, all the time.”

Inslee said parties on the beach, pick-up games of basketball, and sleepovers are examples of activities that are not allowed for at least two weeks.

The governor said he expects residents to comply with his emergency proclamation, but added “make no mistake, this order is enforceable by law and can be enforced.”

Violating the emergency proclamation is a gross misdemeanor, which carries a sentence up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Chief John Batiste of the State Patrol said the goal is not to make arrests or give people citations. Inslee’s chief of staff, David Postman, said law enforcement could order groups to stop congregating.

“I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Governor is asking law enforcement to walk up to these groups and disperse them and tell them to move on. I think we have to start moving to that level,” Postman said.

As of 3 p.m. Monday, the number of COVID-19 deaths totaled 87 in King County, 11 in Snohomish County, two each in Whatcom and Benton counties, and one in Pierce County. There were 2,221 confirmed cases in 31 of Washington’s 39 counties.

On March 15, Inslee lowered the statewide ban on public gatherings from 250 people and more, to 50 and more, but there were several reports of people not complying.

All public and private schools are closed through April 24.

Washington is among at least a dozen other states that have issued stay-at-home orders. When all of the orders take effect mid-week, they will cover states with about 40 percent of the nation’s population, according to published reports.

The governor’s office emphasized the stay-at-home order is not a “shelter in place” because “it is still safe to go outside; the grocery stores and other essential businesses will remain open.” Shelter-in-place is a phrase that law enforcement often uses when mass shootings occur.

Safeway and Albertsons on Monday announced that the company has begun implementing social distancing protocols in its stores. The goal is to follow guidance from the federal government to prevent customers from being within 6 feet of any other person for more than 10 minutes.

The company is putting in floor markers throughout the stores to designate waiting points, especially at check stands and stations where people most often congregate such as the service deli, bakeries and pharmacy areas. Customers also will be asked to wait until the customer in front of them has finished collecting their groceries before unloading their groceries at the check stand.

Inslee’s evening address to the state came the same day as states reported for the first time more than 100 deaths from COVID-19 -- the disease caused by the new coronavirus -- raising the nation’s total death toll past 500.

On March 10, Inslee said 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.” Seven weeks is April 28 and eight is May 5.

In his speech Monday evening, Inslee said the rapid growth in the number of coronavirus cases has put the state in a race against time.

“We need to grow hospital capacity or else face an even greater health emergency. And the more of us who stay home, the fewer of us who will be infected by COVID-19 and the more lives that will be saved. This is a very difficult choice and I make this difficult choice knowing that it will add to the economic and family hardship many in our state are already feeling as we try to slow and turn back this pandemic.

“But we need to think about it in these terms. We want to get back to normal as soon as possible. We do not want this lingering intrusion in our lives and the fastest way to get back to normal is to hit this hard. That’s what we’re doing,” Inslee said.

Who is an essential worker?

The Olympian has posted the state’s 14-page listing of essential businesses and workers by sector. Find it at https://www.theolympian.com/news/coronavirus/article241452516.html

This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 5:31 PM with the headline "Inslee issues stay-at-home order for 2 weeks except for thousands of ‘essential’ workers."