COVID-19 Information & Resources

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

• Inslee announces statewide COVID-19 exposure notification tool

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  WA Notify uses privacy-preserving technology and works without collecting or revealing any location or personal data

  Gov. Jay Inslee, along with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), today announced the launch of WA Notify, a simple, anonymous exposure notification tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19. By adding WA Notify to their smartphones, Washington residents will be alerted if they spent time near another WA Notify user who later tests positive for COVID-19.

  WA Notify uses privacy-preserving technology jointly developed by Google and Apple and works without collecting or revealing any location or personal data.

  Read more about WA Notify here: https://medium.com/wagovernor/inslee-announces-statewide-covid-19-exposure-notification-tool-34b5740aa02

  To learn more:

  • Visit WANotify.org to see how easy it is to add WA Notify to your smartphone or to learn more.
  • Information about WA Notify is available in multiple languages — choose from the full list at WANotify.org/languages.
  • View a video that describes how WA Notify works.
  • View a 30-second WA Notify ad.

• Assistance for Childcare Providers

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  "To ensure a stable, functional and flexible child care system that supports providers and families during COVID-19, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is providing direct support to licensed child care providers for stabilization, to assist with reopening and staying open, to offset increased costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and to incentivize providers to serve school-age children."

  For the rest of the story please see here: https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/coronavirus-covid-19/early-learning/covid19-grant

• Emergency Manager's Report to City Council on COVID-19 (November 17, 2020)

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  Andrew Stevens, CEM - Emergency Manager -Eastside Fire & Rescue

  Good evening Mayor, Council members, and City Manager.

  Thank you for inviting me to speak again tonight and to provide an update on COVID-19. It has become obvious that the United States is in the midst of the worst surge of viral outbreaks since this pandemic began. The Country is now registering roughly 11,330,000 cases of COVID, and it’s only been a week since the milestone of 10 million was surpassed. We are averaging over 160,000 new cases a day and are expected to average more than 200,000 per day in the near future. Hospitalizations are also seeing record level increases. Yesterday, nearly 74,000 people were hospitalized due to COVID, more than was ever seen in prior surges. The U.S. is also averaging over 1,000 new deaths a day, with nearly a quarter-million lives lost so far.

  The State of Washington, King County, and Sammamish have not been immune from this current surge either. Washington is seeing upwards of 2,000 new cases a day, with hospitalizations and deaths increasing. King County’s case volume is far exceeding anything previously experienced in the Spring and Summer surges, with daily positive case county more than triple previous records. Sammamish is averaging 6.5 new cases a day, and up to 426 cases so far.

  King County COVID-19 Positive Cases

  Due to the dramatic increase in statewide cases, Governor Inslee announced Sunday new temporary restrictions that went into effect statewide yesterday until December 14. The new restrictions include:

  • Restrictions on all indoor social gatherings unless strict quarantine measures have been followed
  • Outdoor gatherings are limited to no more than 5 people who do not live with you.
  • Restaurants and bars are closed for indoor service. Outdoor and take-out dining must still adhere to strict guidelines to ensure safety.
  • New restrictions on religious services, including limiting services to 25%, no choir, band, or congressional singing allowed.
  • Fitness Facilities and Gyms will be required to close indoor operations
  • Retail businesses will be limited to 25% of capacity and must close any congregate areas.

  It is widely understood that these new statewide restrictions will impact many. It will have real-life consequences for both businesses and employees, with cascading financial repercussions to families and communities.

  While heightened restrictions are most likely necessary to combat the ever-increasing community spread of COVID-19, it is troubling that such restrictions can be mandated without a plan to financially support those they impact. Continued State or County assistance funding appears to be limited and there are no expectations of additional COVID-19 assistance being provided by the federal government anytime soon.

  Sammamish, however, through the strategic utilization of its CARES Act funding is in a stronger position than most to assist its impacted residents. As you are aware, expenses incurred by local governments needed to be incurred no later than November 30^th in order to be eligible for CARES Act reimbursement. The City of Sammamish, however, dedicated the entirety of their CARES Act award to the eligible expenses of public safety payroll. Staff then recommended, and Council approved, to dedicate that entire reimbursement to continued COVID-19 response and recovery. The current surge of COVID-19 cases and newly enacted statewide restrictions are the exact scenarios that the City’s use of CARES Act funding was designed for. I am unaware of any jurisdiction that is in a stronger position to provide continued assistance beyond CARES Act deadlines, without dipping into operational budgets, contingency funds, or receiving additional State or Federal support.

  To date, the City of Sammamish has spent roughly $1,072,000 on its COVID-19 response and recovery operations.

  • $216K to ensure continuity of government
  • Roughly $12K in personnel overtime
  • $109K in emergency protective measures
  • $420K in small business grants – which includes $98K in pass-through CARES Act funding from King County
  • $315K in non-profit/human services grants

  Currently, the City is accepting applications for a second round of small business and non-profit COVID-19 support grants which I believe you will be discussing later this evening. Depending on how much funding is allocated in this second round of grants, the City has considerable resources to support a multitude of programs that will assist those impacted by this crisis. Perhaps an assessment of the current eligibility criteria for City-provided business grants is necessary to ensure that those businesses affected by the new restrictions can receive assistance.

  Staff has been working to identify current and expected impacts on residents and turn them into actionable intelligence. I have recently spoken with the City’s Human Services Coordinator and requested an assessment of the need for immediate and continued financial support to non-profits assisting those residents impacted by COVID or COVID restrictions. The City’s Communication team and I have also been working to develop a community impact survey, that will be widely distributed to Sammamish residents. In traditional disasters, who is impacted and who needs assistance can be quite apparent. With COVID, those impacts are not always so visible. The survey we are designing is meant to identify what impacts our residents are experiencing and at what magnitude. This survey will be distributed widely, in multiple languages, and the information gained will provide greater situational awareness to the needs of the community.

  Lastly, I think we all recognize the impacts that COVID-19 has had on this nation. Unfortunately, even with all the science and information on what we all needed to do to combat this outbreak, many chose to ignore the warning signs. We are now forced into a position to again restrict businesses, activities, and that is going to affect a lot of people, many of which have been complying with COVID-19 mitigations this entire time. I want everyone to recognize that what you do, who you connect with, and what public health recommendations you may choose to ignore, has far more downstream consequences than you can possibly imagine. In high confidence, I would assume that the majority of Sammamish’s residents want what is best for their community. No one wants to see a small business shut down, or a family struggle to pay bills. No one wants schools to remain closed, or family holiday gathering to be canceled. Everyone’s top priority then should be doing everything in their power to keep themselves, their family, and their community safe. Don’t be the person who holds the dinner party that gets someone sick. Don’t be the person who refuses to wear a mask correctly and gets an essential worker sick. Don’t be the person online looking for playdate companions for your children. Stop cutting corners, a quarter-million Americans are dead, 8 of which lived here in Sammamish. If everyone committed to the objective of ending this pandemic months ago, we would not be in the situation we are in now as a nation. I urge everyone to see this not as a personal choice, but a personal responsibility and commitment to the safety and resilience of your community.

• Safe Start for Taverns & Restaurants (SSTAR) -Financial Assistance Available

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  King County's Safe Start for Taverns and Restaurants (SSTAR) program provides education and materials to help restaurants implement state and public health guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It also increases the accountability of food service establishments to abide by the health and safety standards that support a safe reopening. Read more about SSTAR on the Public Health Insider blog: Ensuring safe start compliance in restaurants and taverns: SSTAR launches in King County.

  SSTAR is accepting requests on a rolling basis through December 20, 2020 or until funds run out. This financial assistance is in the form of a reimbursement for COVID-19 related expenses paid by the business (up to $3000).

  To request Financial Assistance and the Financial Reimbursement Request forms, please email sstarinfo@kingcounty.gov.

• Inslee announces statewide restrictions for four-weeks

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  "Gov. Jay Inslee today announced a four-week statewide set of restrictions in response to the recent rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus in Washington and across the country.

  The new restrictions come as Washington sees consistent increasing daily case counts, with over 2,000 cases a day over the weekend and average cases in the state doubling over the past two weeks."

  

  Read the rest of the story on the governor's Medium page.

• Inslee issues travel advisory for Washington

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  Gov. Jay Inslee issued a travel advisory for Washington today, recommending a 14-day quarantine for interstate and international travel and asks residents to stay close to home. Inslee joined California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in urging visitors entering their states or returning home from travel outside these states to self-quarantine to slow the spread of the virus.

  “COVID-19 cases have doubled in Washington over the past two weeks. This puts our state in as dangerous a position today as we were in March,” Inslee said. “Limiting and reducing travel is one way to reduce further spread of the disease. I am happy to partner with California and Oregon in this effort to help protect lives up and down the West Coast.”

  “California just surpassed a sobering threshold – one million COVID-19 cases – with no signs of the virus slowing down,” said Newsom. “Increased cases are adding pressure on our hospital systems and threatening the lives of seniors, essential workers and vulnerable Californians. Travel increases the risk of spreading COVID-19 and we must all collectively increase our efforts at this time to keep the virus at bay and save lives.”

  “COVID-19 does not stop at state lines. As hospitals across the West are stretched to capacity, we must take steps to ensure travelers are not bringing this disease home with them,” said Brown. “If you do not need to travel, you shouldn’t. This will be hard, especially with Thanksgiving around the corner. But the best way to keep your family safe is to stay close to home.”

  In addition to urging individuals arriving from other states or countries to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival, the states’ travel advisories recommend individuals limit their interactions to their immediate household. The advisories define essential travel as travel for work and study, critical infrastructure support, economic services and supply chains, health, immediate medical care, and safety and security.

  Washington state travel advisory

  Media Contact

  Public and constituent inquiries | 360.902.4111
  Press inquiries | 360.902.4136

  https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-issues-travel-advisory-washington?fbclid=IwAR1XlQ2x_K3--Xn0530Dg0ba9IrV5P2aHPt70BkeiHMKfMtm-HQO_5_XRbA

• Gov. Jay Inslee and Trudi Inslee address Washingtonians with an update on the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

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• Please follow CDC guidance for Thanksgiving celebrations this year.

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  It’s that time of year when many of us start making holiday plans. With travel and gathering limitations, Thanksgiving is going to be different for a lot of families this year. We recommend following this CDC guidance for celebrating Thanksgiving safely.

  "Traditional Thanksgiving gatherings with family and friends are fun but can increase the chances of getting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu. Follow these tips to make your Thanksgiving holiday safer.

  The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is to celebrate with people in your household. If you do plan to spend Thanksgiving with people outside your household, take steps to make your celebration safer."

  Please read the entire guidance here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/thanksgiving.html

• Emergency Manager's Report to City Council on COVID-19 (November 2, 2020)

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  Andrew Stevens, CEM - Emergency Manager, Eastside Fire & Rescue

  
  

  Good evening Mayor, Council members, and City Manager.

  
  

  Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to provide an update on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Less than two weeks ago, I reported that the majority of U.S. States were seeing an increasing number of COVID cases. I wish that I could report better news this evening, but the reality is, that the U.S. is experiencing uncontrolled, and record-breaking, increases in both the number of daily new cases and the number of fatalities. The U.S has registered over 9.2 million cases since this crisis began and more than 232,000 people have died. Last week, the country shattered the record for most cases in a single day, nearly 100,000. We have seen a nationwide increase of 45% in new cases in the past two weeks alone. The U.S. alone accounts for more than a quarter of the global COVID-19 case count, and roughly one-fifth of all deaths. Of all the sobering COVID-19 statistics, one of the more troubling things I learned in the past day was that the City of El Paso just got assigned its fourth mobile morgue. I want that to sink in, an American city had to establish four separate morgue sites to assist in managing all their COVID-19 deaths.

  
  

  

  U.S COVID-19 Positive Cases

  
  

  Confirmed cases in Washington have gone up nearly 10% in the past two weeks. King County is seeing record numbers of increasing in daily case counts, averaging well over 200 new cases a day, with 295 news cases since yesterday. Sammamish is still seeing new cases daily, and unfortunately, another fatality, bring the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the city to 8.

  
  

  

  King County COVID-19 Positive Cases Dashboard

  
  

  Halloween was a strong reminder to me that people are getting too comfortable in our COVID mitigations. Sure, I saw some inventive methods to pass out candy, through chutes, or individually wrapped grab-bags. Yes, these precautions certainly reduced the risk of inadvertent exposure, but the risk was still there. So, I must ask, is any amount of candy worth the risk of contracting a virus that is on average resulting in the death of an American every 1.5 minutes? The news for the past several weeks has been reporting on how out of hand this current surge is, but so many of us are still looking for ways to resume normal day to day life. Wearing a mask and socially distancing are essential to help slow the spread of this virus, but that is not all. We must continue to be vigilant. Yes, you can go to the grocery store, but should you go several times a day? No. Limit those trips, limit all non-essential contact, and do not become complacent.

  
  

  We all need to remember that we are still responding to this disaster, we are not yet in recovery. When a hurricane or tornado is directly overhead, that is not the time to open the cellar door and begin trying to rebuild. The difference is this storm is lasting for months. The fortunate part is that we, through our collective actions, can determine the severity of this disaster going forward. We can pretend it’s gone away and watch the numbers continue to rise, or we can band together – listen to the science, and demand a strategic, national approach to combatting this virus.

  
  

  To conclude this report, the Sammamish City Council requested ongoing updates on how the City is spending money on COVID-19 response and recovery. Please note, there was an error in my previous report. A non-profit grant of $14K awarded to St. Vincent DePaul was included within the total counted for emergency protective measures.

  
  

  Here is a summary of the corrected expenses to date are as follows:

  
  

  • $216K to ensure continuity of government – primarily IT related telework expenses
  • Roughly $12K in personnel overtime
  • $105K in emergency protective measures that include PPE, sanitation and hygiene, signage, external communications, towing, temporary personnel, and more.
  • $420K in small business grants – which includes $98K in pass-through CARES Act funding from King County
  • $315K in non-profit/human services grants

  
  

  In all, the City has spent roughly $958K in COVID-19 response and recovery, not including the pass-through CARES funds from King County. Currently, the City is accepting applications for a second round of small business and non-profit COVID-19 support grants. Information on how to apply, as well as the criteria for eligibility, can be found at www.sammamish.us/support-grants

  
  

  With that, I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you and stay safe.

  
  

• City Council Approves 2nd Round of Small Business Support Grants; Non-profits are Eligible to Apply

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  At its regular meeting on October 20, 2020, the Sammamish City Council approved reopening the application process for a second round of grants to support local small businesses and nonprofits affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency. This program builds on the first round of grants, which distributed $420,000 to 42 small businesses in need of support.

  The second round of grants will be open to small businesses and nonprofits meeting the following criteria:

  • A maximum of 25 FTEs (full-time equivalent employees)
  • Physically located within Sammamish
  • An active Sammamish Business License
  • Been in operation in Sammamish since June 1, 2019
  • Sustained a 25% or greater loss in second-quarter year-over-year revenues
  • Nonprofits must be registered as a 501(c)(3) with the IRS
  • Cannot be owned or partially owned by a current City of Sammamish employee or Councilmember or an immediate family member of a current City of Sammamish employee or Councilmember.

  In this round, $400,000 in funding is available for individual grants ranging from $1,000 to $15,000. Grant awards will depend on the impact of COVID-19 on the small business or nonprofit and on the funds available. These grants will be available to reimburse eligible expenditures incurred between March 1, 2020 – November 30, 2020.

  An online application for the second round support grants will open on November 1, 2020 and close on November 29, 2020. The link and instructions for the application will be available at https://www.sammamish.us/support-grants.