COVID-19 Information & Resources

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

• New Support for Puget Sound Energy Customers Affected by COVID-19 in Sammamish

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  A Message from Puget Sound Energy (PSE):

  HELPING RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS:

  As a provider of an essential service, we are working to ensure we are here for our customers, our community and our employees as coronavirus impacts the region. Need financial assistance and support for your energy bill? We know some customers might be worried about paying their bills. Here are measurable actions we’ve taken on behalf of our customers:

  • We will not be disconnecting customers for non-payment during this time.
  • We received approval from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission for a waiver that allows PSE to waive late fees.
  • We will work with our customers on options such as payment plans<https://www.pse.com/account-and-billing/Payment-Assistance/payment-arrangement> and choosing a new bill due date<https://www.pse.com/account-and-billing/My-Account/Preference-Center/billing>.
  • We have multiple bill payment assistance programs<https://www.pse.com/pages/bill-and-weatherization-assistance> available to income-qualified customers.
  • In order to help our community partners, the PSE Foundation, which is a nonprofit entity operating independently of PSE but helps communities PSE serves, has donated $250,000 to support relief efforts in the community through the Seattle Foundation as well as donating to foodbanks to cover emergency preparations.
  • https://www.pse.com/pages/help-during-the-pandemic

  
  

  HELPING SMALL BUSINESS CUSTOMERS

  We know some of our business customers might be worried about paying their bills. Here are measurable actions we’ve taken on behalf of our customers:

  • We will not be disconnecting customers for non-payment during this time.
  • We will work with our customers on options such as payment plans<https://www.pse.com/account-and-billing/Payment-Assistance/payment-arrangement> and choosing a new bill due date<https://www.pse.com/account-and-billing/My-Account/Preference-Center/billing>.
  • https://www.pse.com/pages/help-for-your-small-medium-business

• Governor Inslee Extends Face Covering Requirement for Businesses and Halts County Advancements

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  Gov. Jay Inslee and Sec. of Health John Wiesman today announced a statewide requirement for businesses to require face coverings of all employees and customers. The governor is also ordering a statewide pause on advancing counties from their current phases under Safe Start.

  Read more.

• Thank you for attending yesterday's mask distribution event, Sammamish!

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  Yesterday's drive-through mask distribution event at CWU Sammamish was an incredible success! Our staff and volunteers gave away over 10,500 masks to the community -- which, considering we had fewer than 200 people RSVP for the event was an exciting surprise. We even ended up opening an hour early to accommodate the early rush.

  With this unexpected demand, we adjusted our full event and traffic plan. Public Works and the Sammamish PD helped with traffic management and to adjust the plan on very short notice, and we were able to set up a fourth distribution station to accommodate the influx of attendees. We're very grateful for the help of our ACERT volunteers, Sammamish Explorers, Parks staff and volunteers, and City Councilmembers who helped our Emergency Manager run the event. Volunteers and staff set up, adjusted traffic light schedules, held signs, directed traffic, packaged masks, passed them out, and communicated with the community. It was a tremendous group effort that will undoubtedly make a difference in keeping our residents safe and reduce transmission rates of COVID-19.

  The remaining masks are being distributed to senior and nursing care facilities in Sammamish and to organizations that serve our vulnerable residents.

  Now that you have your mask, here's how to put it on!

  
  

• Recreate Responsibly While Celebrating Independence Day

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  With the Fourth of July holiday around the corner, we invite the Sammamish community to celebrate with family and friends responsibly. Let’s do our part to keep COVID-19 from spreading by wearing facial coverings and continuing to maintain physical distancing and good hygiene practices. Parks and trails can quickly become crowded; have another plan if your destination is too congested to maintain good social distancing.

  The King County Council reminds us, "COVID-19 has been on the sharp rise in King County recently, and health experts are increasingly concerned we’re moving in the wrong direction. We all must be vigilant to help reduce the spread, as we look to celebrate Independence Day this weekend."

  Recreate Responsibly:

  • Limit gathering sizes; socialize with no more than 5 people outside your household.
  • Know before you go – familiarize yourself with what park and trail amenities are open.
  • Respect closures of park features to help prevent the spread of the virus.
  • Give others plenty of room whether you are in a park, on a trail, at a boat launch or in a parking lot.
  • Wear your facial covering.

  We are currently in Phase 2, and with everyone following ‘Recreate Responsibly’ guidelines, we can all safely enjoy the holiday!

• A Message from the Mayor of Sammamish on COVID-19

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  Transcript:

  MAYOR KAREN MORAN: Friends and neighbors, I’m Karen Moran, your Mayor, back to give you a few important updates!

  Today, June 26th, all Washingtonians are required to wear face masks or coverings, including children.

  I’ve asked Andrew Stevens, the Emergency Manager for Eastside Fire & Rescue, for some pointers about wearing masks. Andrew?

  EMERGENCY MANAGER ANDREW STEVENS: Thank you, Mayor. Wearing face coverings is an important step in helping to slow the spread of COVID-19 when done correctly.

  · First, wash your hands before putting on your face covering

  · Holding onto the ear loops, place the face covering over your nose and mouth, securing it under your chin.

  · Try to use a mask that fits snuggly against the sides of your face, but still allows you to breath easily.

  · Once the face covering is on, do not touch it, and if you do, wash your hands.

  · When removing the face covering, handle by the ear loops, and be careful not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.

  · Cloth face coverings should be washed daily. They can be washed and dried in your standard appliances along with your regular laundry, using hot water and high heat so they can be worn safely the next day.

  MAYOR KAREN MORAN: Thanks Andrew. We are experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19, and science has proven that the most effective way to stop the spread is by wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing.

  I’m pleased to tell you that on Wednesday, July 1st, from 4-8pm, the City will be distributing free masks to our residents. These fabric masks are washable and reusable. We will be set up at Central Washington University on 228th, and residents can drive through, remaining in their vehicles, and will receive two masks per member in their household. All our staff and volunteers will be equipped with PPE. Please visit connect.sammamish.us or our Facebook page for more information.

  With summer upon us, some of you have asked about our parks, docks, and beaches. Here’s one question from the City’s Facebook page, “Why are the beaches closed and why is Pine Lake closed?”

  Thank you for that question. City parks in general are smaller parks and become congested quickly, making social distancing impossible. The Council approved the extended closure of the Pine Lake beach and dock for your COVID safety.

  Another question from Facebook asked about opening up City playgrounds for our children. We understand how tough it is – summer is here, everyone’s been cooped up inside with the Stay at Home Order. We must follow King County’s guidance on reopening, and playgrounds will not open until Phase 3. We are currently at Phase 2. It is hard for children to socially distance in a playground, and we want to avoid children, and their parents and their grandparents from getting sick.

  I’d like to touch on another topic that some of you have asked about: police policy. The City of Sammamish contracts with King County for our Sammamish police department, led by Chief Daniel Pingrey. The King County Sheriff’s Office has adopted the “8 Can’t Wait” procedures developed by Campaign Zero, a nationwide police reform program. You can read more about the Sammamish Police Department’s Polices, Training, and Resources in the Current News section of our City website.

  Lastly, it is time to say farewell to one of our most valued employees, City Clerk Melonie Anderson, who is retiring after 20 years of serving the City of Sammamish. Melonie, you’ve been an extraordinary public servant and friend to the City. Please accept our heartfelt thanks and best wishes from the City Council, City staff, and me, dear friend.

  That’s all for now…please stay well and stay healthy. And I hope to see you – from a safe distance -- at the Mask Distribution event on July 1st!

• Drive-Thru Mask Distribution for Sammamish Residents July 1 at CWU, 4-8 PM

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  On July 1, from 4-8 pm at the CWU Sammamish campus, City personnel and volunteers will be handing out reusable, washable fabric masks to Sammamish residents. Masks are now required in public throughout Washington State.

  Know before you go:

  • Masks are made of cloth and are both washable and reusable.
  • Masks are limited to 2 per member of household.
    • Members of the household do not all need to be present
  • This is a Limited-Contact Event:
    • This event is drive-through only. No walk-ups or bicyclists will be permitted.
    • Distributors will be in full PPE (personal protective equipment) for your protection.
  • While we expect to have enough masks for everyone, this event is first-come, first-served.
    • The event ends at 8 pm, so please plan to line up before then in order to receive your face covering.
  • Access the event through CWU's Main Street entrance. (There will be signs.)

  

• Governor Inslee Issues Statewide Mask Requirement

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  This mandate, which applies to all public spaces, goes into effect Friday, June 26. Read the full story on the Governor's Medium page.

• What's Open, What's Closed: Sammamish City Parks in Phase 2

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  • As you plan your visit, remember to practice social distancing, avoid congregating, use of PPE and frequent hand-washing is recommended, stay home if you are sick, and follow the most current CDC guidelines.
  • Most of Sammamish’s closed park amenities are out in the open and cannot be fully secured or locked. Please honor closure notices as part of the community’s collective response and individual responsibility to keep everyone safe.

  The City of Sammamish continues to take measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in accordance with the Governor's orders and to ensure that social distancing measures (maintaining six feet of space between people) will be adhered to. All Sammamish City parks and preserves continue to remain open to pedestrian and bicycle access with the following modifications:

  Park amenities for Phase 2 opening:

  • Athletic Fields (City-owned)
  • Courts
  • Dog Park (no water)
  • Beaches – Fishing only
    • Sammamish Landing Park
    • Beaver Lake Park

  The associated parking lots for these amenities are open, which include East Sammamish Park, Ebright Creek Park, and Beaver Lake Park.

  • Trails at all City Parks
  • Evans Creek Preserve
  • Beaver Lake Preserve
  • Lower Sammamish Commons
  • Sammamish Landing Park
  • Parking lots to parks without gates:
  • Klahanie Park
  • NE Sammamish Park
  • Big Rock Park
  • Restrooms/Sani-cans

  The following amenities will remain closed until Phase 3:

  • Pine Lake Park Gate and Beach
  • Docks at Sammamish Landing and Pine Lake Park
  • Playgrounds at all Parks
  • Sammamish Commons Skate Park

  Group size restrictions in effect: Gatherings of five or fewer people from outside the household are permitted.

  Organized athletic games, practices and pickup games are not permitted.

  Use of PPE and frequent hand-washing is recommended.

  As you plan your visit, remember to practice social distancing, avoid group gatherings, keep it moving to help prevent crowding, stay home if you are sick, and follow the most current CDC guidelines.

• King County Enters Phase 2

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  Sammamish and King County entered into Phase 2 of Washington's Safe Start program today. For information on what changes, visit https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/safe-start.aspx .

• Sammamish Emergency Manager's 6/16 Report to City Council on COVID-19

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

  Good evening Mayor, Councilmembers, and City Manager.

  Thank you again for providing me with the opportunity to discuss the current state of emergency management here in Sammamish.

  Across the globe, Coronavirus numbers continue to rise. Since my last report two weeks ago, the world has seen an increase in roughly 1.75 million cases and 60,000 more fatalities. Please allow me to put that into context. The world has been dealing with COVID-19 since January. It took until mid-April to hit 1.75 million cases globally. We hit that number in the past two weeks.

  That is a nearly 1/5 increase in total cases in the past two weeks alone.

  In the past two weeks, the U.S. has seen an additional 320,000 cases and 10,000 deaths, and as states continue to lift stay-at-home orders and other COVID-19 mitigations, surges in new infections are again on the rise.

  Locally, King County has requested to move into Phase 2 of the Washington Safe Start plan, loosening restrictions on non-essential businesses, retail establishments, and limited social gatherings. If these restrictions are lifted and individuals choose to participate in these various activities in unsafe manners, ignoring public health recommendations on facial coverings or social distancing, then we too can expect an increase in infected individuals in our City.

  I want to make it extremely clear to everyone listening. Nothing has changed as far as COVID is concerned. There is no vaccine, and there is no effective treatment. The risks posed are still very much a reality, with the only advantage we have now is better knowledge of how the disease spreads and a far greater availability of protective mitigations like PPE. You cannot gaslight your way out of a pandemic, pretending as if the threat no longer exists. Understanding that people need to return to work and businesses need to reopen their doors or risk closing them forever, it is then all our responsibility to ensure that they can do so safely. If you can physically wear a face covering when in public, then you need to. If you can socialize or conduct meetings remotely, then continue to do that. Knowing that the threat is still here, we all need to do everything to minimize our own risk and the risk to others. I think it is important to recognize that while some businesses are resuming operations, those employees are there to earn a living and not to place themselves at unnecessary risk from those they serve.

  The past several weeks have brought additional challenges to communities across the nation, as protests against systematic racism, inequality, and instances of police brutality are organizing in nearly every community. While the vast majority of these incidents have been conducted peacefully, some have resulted in civil unrest or violence. On June 4^th a peaceful protest of roughly 500 individuals took place in Sammamish, beginning here at the Sammamish Commons, then transitioning to a march northward looping back down through 228^th. I would like to express my personal appreciation to Sammamish PD for the time and effort they spent preparing for the event and all the work done to ensure that those attending the peaceful protest were able to so in a safe environment. In addition to the fantastic work of our police department, nearly every city department and numerous external stakeholders assisted in the preparation and coordinated management of the event.

  While this year has certainly been challenging, it has highlighted many successes. I’m proud of the way Sammamish has approached each of these incidents. Since 2017, Sammamish has implemented an all-hazard emergency management program focusing on strengthening inter-agency coordination, equity in assistance, and whole-community disaster resiliency. This has provided us with the confidence and ability to respond effectively to any range of disaster or emergency. From severe weather and floods, to pandemics and civil unrest, the City of Sammamish and its residents continue to lead the way in preparing for, mitigating against, responding to, and recovering from whatever seems come our way, and we're only halfway through the year.

  Thank you.