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Governor Inslee?has?led our state during the?COVID-19 crisis?by relying on?science?and data to make decisions. Yesterday, he signed the extension of the Stay Home, Stay Healthy?order until May 31th, and in recent days, he has outlined a phased approach?to reopening ? both are critical to saving lives and preventing an exponential resurgence of the COVID-19.?
While we have?flattened?the curve, saved lives and prevented?our health care systems?from being overwhelmed, Seattle and King County are still seeing hundreds of new cases every week. We have to remember that?there are?significantly?more cases?in our community now than early March when we began restrictions.?We know it is still?far too early to take our foot off the brake?on?our response?to this disease?or we risk?an exponential?resurgence of the virus.?Every one of us?must continue?physical?distancing until our infection rates have dropped significantly.
Since the beginning of this pandemic, the measures we have put in place to reduce the spread of the virus and keep our communities safe have been hard on everyone and have had real economic consequences for our region?s most vulnerable and many working families. I know that this extension presents yet another challenge to many who are already struggling.
This weekend, I extended the City of Seattle?s moratorium on evictions for residents, businesses and non-profit tenants in Seattle until June 4th. This was one of the first measures we took to bring relief to our City and why it is critical to maintain during this unprecedented time, especially as many residents have not yet received stimulus checks, expanded unemployment assistance, or relief from the federal government's small business programs.
The City will continue our work to provide immediate relief to working people and small businesses. The City has also created a comprehensive resource page for residents and small businesses impacted by COVID-19. You can find the latest City and local programs available here.
I will continue to advocate for the resources we need to address this pandemic and reopen. For now, please continue to do your part and stay home. If you need to leave your house, keep our health care workers in mind and be smart about it?wear a face covering and keep six feet between you and other people.
Stay home and stay healthy,
 
Building on the landmark first-in-the-nation first responder testing facility, administered by first responders, Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan and Fire Chief Harold Scoggins announced that the City has created and deployed two Mobile Assessment Teams to test our most vulnerable, primarily focusing on senior and long-term care establishments at the forefront of the COVID-19 crisis. Recently, the City has also added capacity at the first responder testing site to test frontline city employees and workers from other high-risk facilities, including shelters for people experiencing homelessness.
Each Mobile Assessment Team is comprised of three SFD paramedics or EMTs; the department currently has a pool of approximately 20 personnel to utilize for testing. The facilities tested are determined in consultation with Public Health ? Seattle & King County (PHSKC), and each team has the ability to test up to 120 individuals per day.
Building off the success of the Stay Healthy Streets opened across the City, last weekend the Seattle Department of Transportation opened 11 additional miles of low-traffic streets for public recreation. Lake City,?Aurora Licton Springs,?Ballard, and?Delridge/Highland Park?communities are able to access essential services, recreate, and walk their dogs near their homes while protecting the neighbors by keeping 6 feet apart.
Stay Healthy Streets are in place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until further notice. Lake City will be in place today, May 1, and the rest early next week.
The City of Seattle also extended the?Central District?route to include 22nd?Ave E to E Olive St creating a total of?20 miles of Stay Healthy Streets.?Stay Healthy Streets?builds?off the?196 miles of Seattle?s bike facilities?and trails?and helps people #KeepItMoving.
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan issued an Executive Order to extend deadlines for City of Seattle?s policies on facility closures and parking to align with Governor Inslee?s statewide ?Stay Home, Stay Healthy? order, which is now extended until May 31st.
The following closures will be extended through May 31st:
- Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) community centers, playgrounds, athletic fields, sport courts, pools, environmental learning centers, and select parking lots serving the City?s largest parks, except for those centers offering childcare, shower services, and social distancing shelters.
- Seattle Public Library (SPL) locations, except those open 10 am ? 6 pm for restroom use only
- Cedar River Watershed Education Center and Rattlesnake Ledge Recreation Area
- In-person access to all City departments? public-facing customer service counters. Online and telephonic access will continue.
- All permitted City events, as announced on March 13, 2020, with the exception of farmers markets which will continue to be evaluated for permit renewals on a weekly basis
Following last week?s order from Governor Inslee on recreational activities, the City of Seattle also announced today the reopening of all four of the city?s municipal golf courses with limited hours: Jefferson Park Golf Course, West Seattle Golf Course, Jackson Golf Course, and Interbay Golf Course effective Tuesday, May 5. Courses will follow new operational guidelines and strict physical distancing practices which include: signage to indicate social distancing guidelines, minimized face-to-face interactions, removing high touch surfaces, increasing sanitization practices, converting sit-down food and beverage service to take-out only, eliminating equipment rentals, closing mini golf and using golf ambassadors to enforce social distancing. Seattle Parks and Recreation is also developing a pilot to provide hours when the public can run, bike, or walk within the golf courses.
Today C40 Cities announced Mayor Jenny Durkan as one of the 11 mayors confirmed to participate in the newly launched Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force, to drive forward a sustainable, equitable economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.
The members of the task force are: Chair of the Task Force Mayor of Milan, Italy, Giuseppe Sala; Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone, Yvonne Aki Sawyerr; Secretary for the Environment of Hong Kong, China, KS Wong; Mayor of Lisbon, Portugal, Fernando Medina; Mayor of Rotterdam, Netherlands, Ahmed Aboutaleb; Mayor of Medell?n, Colombia, Daniel Quintero Calle; Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Australia, Sally Capp; Mayor of Montr?al, Canada, Val?rie Plante; Mayor of New Orleans, USA, LaToya Cantrell; Mayor of Seattle, USA, Jenny Durkan; Mayor of Seoul, South Korea, Won-soon Park.
 This week, Mayor Durkan announced that companies, organizations, and individuals have contributed over 700,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the City of Seattle, culminating with a second distribution of PPE to first responders, shelters, community health clinics, and long-term care facilities on the frontline of the COVID-19.?
Over the past two weeks, the City has distributed 512,000 items of PPE, including N95 respirators, surgical masks, gloves, and gowns to first responders in the region and 93,000 items to 47 organizations focused on protecting our most vulnerable communities across the region.?
The City has seen tremendous support from the international community, as PPE supplies have been sent or pledged by several Chinese cities, including our long time sister city of Chongqing, as well as partner cities of Hangzhou and Shenzhen adding to more than 67,000 items.
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