COVID-19 Information & Resources

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Please visit https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health.aspx for the latest COVID-19 information. 

• What should I do if I see someone violating the "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order?

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  Concerned Sammamish residents have reached out to us regarding individuals or businesses potentially not complying with the Governor’s "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order. While we do believe that the majority of Sammamish residents and businesses are complying with the order, we of course may encounter exceptions to the rule.

  The Governor’s office has made it clear that these orders are enforceable by law, but they also made it clear that they are not actively searching for or citing individuals or businesses for non-compliance. The Sammamish Police Department will not be pulling people over to see where they're going, issuing citations, or breaking up people standing less than six feet apart. However, these social distancing measures remain crucial in protecting Sammamish residents and in helping to slow the spread of COVID-19.

  The City and law enforcement will continue the public outreach and education on the importance of compliance. However, residents may report violations by businesses to the State at https://coronavirus.wa.gov/whats-open-and-closed. Find the link to the form under the "What's Prohibited" section. Please note that this only applies to businesses. If you have a concern about individuals or groups, you may consider reporting it online to the King County Sheriff's Office at www.reporttosheriff.org. Please do not call 911 except in emergencies.

  Before reporting, we ask that you reference this list of essential business as defined by the Governor's order and remember that many of your neighbors have reasons to be out that keep the rest of us safe and healthy.

  If we receive additional guidance from the State or King County Sheriff's Department on actively enforcing these orders, we will be sure to update the public.

• New Construction Guidance from Governor Inslee

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  Yesterday, Governor Inslee provided clarifying guidance for what counts as "essential" construction.

  “In general, commercial and residential construction is not authorized under the proclamation because construction is not considered to be an essential activity.

  "However, an exception to the order allows for construction in the following limited circumstances:

  a) Construction related to essential activities as described in the order;

  b) To further a public purpose related to a public entity or governmental function or facility, including but not limited to publicly financed low-income housing; or

  c) To prevent spoliation and avoid damage or unsafe conditions, and address emergency repairs at both non-essential businesses and residential structures."

  See the full guidance at https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-provides-construction-guidance-and-signs-proclamations-ui-rules-healthcare

  
  

• King County's New COVID-19 Data Dashboard

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  This new, interactive dashboard with statistics and data for COVID-19 case numbers updated daily by Public Health -- Seattle & King County. Previously, COVID-19 data had only been reported at the county level. This dashboard allows users to view data and statistics by city or zip code as well.

  View the Data Dashboard

• Emergency Manager's 3/24 Report to Council on COVID-19

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  Report to Sammamish City Council on COVID-19

  March 24, 2020

  by Andrew Stevens – Emergency Manager, Eastside Fire & Rescue

  On March 3rd, I provided the City Council with a preliminary report on the rapidly developing Coronavirus, or COVID-19, situation. At that time there were 27 positive cases throughout the State. As of today, the number of positive cases across the state is almost 2,500.

  For weeks now, the City of Sammamish has been widely promoting, and complying with, the recommendations of public health agencies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

  The City has implemented a robust tele-work program which has allowed for the continuation of nearly all organizational functions while allowing for roughly 85% of city staff to work remotely. Every City department has thoroughly revised a continuity of operations plan identifying mission essential functions, succession plans, and delegations of authority which ensures critical government services will continue throughout this pandemic.

  The City of Sammamish has also developed a COVID-19 information and resource hub for our residents. That hub is linked on the top of the City website or available directly by visiting connect.sammamish.us

  The Connect Sammamish COVID-19 site is the City’s central point for sharing information and news relating to the pandemic, current public health recommendations, and a host of economic, utility, mental health, and emergency preparedness resources. Through Connect Sammamish, residents can also ask questions to staff and share stories of community resiliency.

  Yesterday, the Governor issued the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, which requires everyone to stay at home except when:

  • Pursuing an essential activity, such as shopping for groceries or going to a medical appointment.
  • Getting takeout food. (Food deliveries also are permitted).
  • Going to work at an essential business, or
  • Going outside for walks and exercise, as long as a minimum of 6 feet of social distancing is maintained.

  Grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, and other businesses identified as essential services will remain open.

  All gatherings of people for social, spiritual, and recreational purposes are prohibited. This includes playdates for children, dinner parties, going to church, even funerals. By tomorrow evening, all non-essential businesses must also close, however, those who can operate remotely should continue to do so.

  I would like to take a moment now to urge all Sammamish residents to comply with these orders, and all other public health recommendations, and to reiterate why their compliance is so critically important.

  According to the World Health Organization, the speed of which Coronavirus is spreading is accelerating. It took 67 days from the first reported case of COVID-19 to reach 100,000 cases, only 11 days for the second 100,000 cases, four days for the third, and just 3 days for the number to now rise to over 400,000 cases globally. Unless drastic actions are taken to stop the spread of this virus, our medical systems will quickly be overwhelmed, a large percentage of the global population will get sick, and many will die.

  The exemptions provided under the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order should not be taken advantage of, and you should not be looking for opportunities to leave your home.

  Just because grocery stores remain open does not mean that you should heading to the store daily. If a recipe calls for an ingredient and you don’t have it, make do with what you have. Similarly, don’t run to a hardware store because you would like to take advantage of home isolation and paint your bathroom. Limit your trips to only those that are essential.

  This is not only to protect yourself and your family from additional opportunities of exposure, but to protect the front-line workers who are keeping these essential services going. Parents, if your children are still gathering socially throughout the City and in neighborhoods, it is time to step up and enforce these regulations at home.

  The definition of integrity is doing the right thing even when no one else is watching. Governments will not be able to regulate away the risk posed by this virus.

  The importance of whole-community compliance cannot be understated, and that begins with every individual.

  I urge all residents to support one another through the entirety of this incident, to be a good example, and to not put others at risk.

  Thank you.

  
  

• Travel Only for Essential Needs

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  With the new "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order, we must all stay home and not travel, unless it's for an "essential need." What does that mean for Sammamish residents?
  

  o Do your part. Sammamish residents must stay at home, except for emergency travel or essential needs. This also means not having friends or family over for dinner parties or get-togethers.

  o Essential needs may include travel to grocery stores and food banks, pharmacies, gas stations, urgent or emergency medical care, caring for an elderly or sick family member, and travel to work for essential staff as defined by state or local authorities.

  o Law enforcement’s primary role is education and engagement with the community. The Sammamish Police Department and the King County Sheriff's Office will work to educate the public about how to best comply with stay-at-home orders and keep themselves safe. Sammamish residents, with a few exceptions, understand the severity of the situation are doing all they can already to keep themselves, their families and neighbors safe and healthy. No law enforcement agencies have any desire to make any arrests or take anybody to jail for violations. That said, please do not call 911 to report social distancing violations. Instead, call the Washington State Novel Coronavirus Call Center at 800-525-0127.

  o Freight travel with supplies for grocery stores will continue -- Please don't overstock. When people buy more than they need, the people who need supplies most – such as health workers and seniors – are forced to go without. Grocery shelves will remain stocked if everyone sticks to their normal buying habits. Please try to limit your trips to the store to once per week to limit your exposure to others.

  o Discretionary travel is limited to managing urgent needs such as helping an elderly neighbor purchase groceries or providing care or support to a sick family member, for example.

  o Maintain social distancing at all times when in public. Staying six feet apart from one another is absolutely crucial to preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

• No Vehicular Access to Sammamish City Parks Beginning March 25

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  Starting tomorrow, March 25, 2020, the City of Sammamish will take additional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, in accordance with the Governor's recent orders and to ensure that social distancing measures (six feet of space between people) can be adhered to.

  1. All parks and preserves will remain open to pedestrian access.
  2. Gates to parking lots will NOT be opened for parks, so they will have no vehicular access. Parks affected include Beaver Lake Park, East Sammamish Park, Pine Lake Park, Ebright Creek Park, Sammamish Landing. Please note that there are parks that do not have gates to their parking lots (Klahanie Park, NE Sammamish Park, Big Rock Park), so these lots will remain open.
  3. Gates to parking lots of preserves will remain open. This includes Evans Creek Preserve and Beaver Lake Preserve. Gates to the Lower Sammamish Commons park will remain open to allow access for the SE 4^th Street contractor and CrossPath Counseling.
  4. Restrooms and sani-cans will remain open.
  5. The Dog Park (at Beaver Lake Park) and ball fields/sports courts at all parks will be locked.
  6. Playgrounds will remain closed.

  These measures are being taken to prevent any of our City parks from becoming "destinations" for large groups of people. While outdoor exercise is considered an essential activity under the Governor's most recent order, we urge people to stay in their homes as much as possible. If you do go outside, we recommend that residents walk in their neighborhoods and explore their closest parks, so that no one park becomes overcrowded.

  Thank you, and stay healthy!

  
  

• What's an "Essential Business?"

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  With the order from Governor Inslee on March 23, all except for "essential businesses" must close starting March 25, for a period of at least two weeks. But what businesses are defined as essential? In Sammamish, this means our grocery stores will stay open; restaurants can continue offering delivery, drive-through, and take-out; police and fire departments will be fully staffed, utility workers will continue to provide services to residents, and City Hall will remain operational (with some modifications).

  Visit this resource from the Washington State COVID-19 page to learn more about what sort of business operations are and are not allowed at this time.

• Governor Inslee announces “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order

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  Under a new order from the Governor's Office, Washington State is now under a "Stay Home" order starting immediately and lasting for a minimum of two weeks.

  • Require every Washingtonian to stay home unless they need to pursue an essential activity.
  • Ban all gatherings for social, spiritual and recreational purposes.
  • Close all businesses except essential businesses.

  
  

• More Grocers with Special Hours for Seniors and At-Risk Populations

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  Partial list of stores that have announced hours for Elderly or At-risk Shoppers

  • Safeway/Albertsons (Sammamish, Redmond, Issaquah): At-risk shoppers (seniors, pregnant women, people who have compromised immune systems). Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9 a.m.
  • Target (Redmond): Senior shoppers and those with compromised immune systems. The first hour of each day. Check Target’s website for specific opening hours at locations throughout the Greater Seattle area.
  • Whole Foods (Redmond): Senior Shopper hours. One hour before the store opens to the public. Check Whole Foods’ website for specific opening hours at locations throughout the Greater Seattle area.
  • PCC Markets (Redmond, Issaquah): Senior and at-risk shoppers will have a reserved shopping hour from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. every day.
  • Costco (Redmond, Issaquah): Senior and at-risk shoppers will have a reserved shopping hour from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
  • New Seasons Markets: Senior and at-risk shoppers will have a reserved shopping hour from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., Monday - Friday
  • QFC: Seniors over 60 from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Monday - Thursday.
  • Metropolitan Markets (Sammamish): 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Monday - Friday.
  • Trader Joe's (Sammamish, Redmond, Issaquah): Separate, expedited line for seniors from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
  • Walgreens (Issaquah): 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Tuesdays
  • Walmart (Bellevue): Tuesdays, one hour before open.
  • Fred Meyer (Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond): Seniors 60 & Older: 7am – 8am, Monday - Thursday

  Partial list of stores that have reduced hours:

  • Fred Meyer: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
  • Metropolitan Markets: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
  • PCC Markets: All stores now close at 10 p.m.
  • QFC: 8 a.m.- 8 p.m.

  See the King County list of Grocery Store Operating Hours for more stores in the region.

  
  

  Know of another local store with special hours or accommodations? Let us know in the comments.

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• Metro and Sound Transit temporarily reducing service and suspending fares to support the health of the community

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  Three important pieces of news for Sammamish transit riders:

  1. Sound Transit and King County Metro have suspended fares on all transit modes until further notice. To protect operators, all passengers are asked to board and exit buses through rear doors whenever possible. See the King County Metro announcement or the Sound Transit announcement for full details.
  2. Metro’s routes 216, 219, and 269 operating through the City will be impacted by either fewer trips and/or reduced hours of operation. Community Ride will not be operating, and Community Van (which has not launched in Sammamish yet) will continue as a work in progress.
  3. As of this update, Sound Transit’s route 554 through Sammamish will not experience any reduced service hours.

  These changes went into effect on Monday, March 23^rd. For more information about all service changes in King County and other traveling alternatives, please visit https://kingcountymetro.blog/2020/03/19/reducedschedule/. Sound Transit’s updates can be found at https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases.