March 6 Update on Kirkland’s Response to COVID-19 Outbreak
Published on March 06, 2020
Media Contact:
Kellie Stickney
Communications Program Manager
kstickney@kirklandwa.gov
(425) 979-6562
March 6 Update on Kirkland’s Response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Outbreak
KIRKLAND, Wash. – The City continues to operate its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate our response to the presence of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in our community.
This remains a quickly evolving event. The City of Kirkland currently has twenty-eight firefighters and three police officers in quarantine. Two firefighters have now been released after completing their recommended quarantine period with demonstrating symptoms. All thirty-three first responders are linked to responses to incidents at the Life Care Center of Kirkland. Twelve first responders are showing flu-like symptoms, and nineteen have confirmed direct exposure. Most are in isolation or quarantine at home. Fire Station 21 continues to be kept offline and is available to firefighters for isolation, a second facility is being used for quarantine.
All of our first responders that are currently symptomatic have been tested. All of the test results we have received have come back negative. Even though the tests results have been negative, first responders will still be in quarantine for the entire 14-day period recommended by Public Health Seattle-King County. We anticipate additional test results today.
The Kirkland Fire and Police Departments remain fully staffed and responding to calls as normal. City first responders have CDC recommended personal protection equipment and are following recommended protocols.
Representative Susan Del Bene visited the City of Kirkland Friday morning to express support for Kirkland’s first responders and to learn how the federal government can support the City during the response. Mayor Penny Sweet gave the Representative a tour of the Emergency Operations Center and shared current needs as well as anticipated future needs for funding, supplies and economic development recovery.
“We appreciate all the resources and support coming to the City of Kirkland from County, State and Federal agencies.” said Mayor Penny Sweet. “We commend our community for handling this event calmly and compassionately. Please continue to follow recommendations from public health and remember to make the extra effort to be kind to yourselves, your neighbors, and your first responders.”
Following current direction from Seattle King County Public Health, and our ongoing needs to have the capacity to staff our emergency operations center we have concluded that the City will be cancelling all City evening meetings except for City Council meetings until the end of March. This includes Commissions, Boards, and all Neighborhood Association meetings. The City of Kirkland Passport Office will be closed from Monday, March 9th through Friday, March 20th.
The City of Kirkland is also cancelling most recreation programming and classes and closing community centers to the public starting Saturday, March 7 through Tuesday, March 31. Recreation programs will be cancelled beginning on Saturday, March 7.
Seattle & King County Public Health have revised their recommendations to the public (please note that these are recommendations not mandates):
Public Health recommends that people at higher risk of severe illness should stay home and away from large groups of people as much as possible, including public places with lots of people and large gatherings where there will be close contact with others. This includes concert venues, conventions, sporting events, and crowded social gatherings.
• People at higher risk include people:
o Over 60 years of age;
o With underlying health conditions including include heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes;
o With weakened immune systems;
o Who are pregnant.
Guidance for workplaces and businesses
Employers should take steps to make it more feasible for their employees to work in ways that minimize close contact with large numbers of people.
Employers should:
Maximize telecommuting options for as many employees as possible.
Urge employees to stay home when they are sick and maximize flexibility in sick leave benefits.
Consider staggering start and end times to reduce large numbers of people coming together at the same time.
If you can feasibly avoid bringing large groups of people together, consider postponing events and gatherings. Large groups are considered more than 10 people.
Event and community gathering considerations:
If you can feasibly avoid bringing large groups of people together, consider postponing events and gatherings.
If you can’t avoid bringing groups of people together:
• Urge anyone who is sick to not attend.
• Encourage those who are at higher risk for coronavirus to not attend.
• Try to find ways to give people more physical space so that they aren’t in close contact as much as possible.
• Encourage attendees to maintain good healthy habits, such as frequent hand washing.
• Clean surfaces with standard cleaners.
Public Health is not recommending closing schools at this time unless there has been a confirmed case in your school.
More information and full list of recommendations are available from Seattle & King County Public Health: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/news/2020/March/6-covid-19-update.aspx
The City will continue to update its website with information on the COVID-19 outbreak.