City of Sammamish - COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information & Resources
Most recent information appears at the top of this page, with the oldest notices at the bottom.
UPDATE. MARCH 23, 2020
For the latest updates, please visit our new resource hub at https://connect.sammamish.us/covid-19-updates
UPDATE, MARCH 17, 2020
UPDATE, MARCH 13, 2020
UPDATE, MARCH 12, 2020
The City of Sammamish published COVID-19 Economic Resources for Businesses, Employees, and Individuals.
Gov. Jay Inslee announced today that all public and private K-12 schools in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties will close from Tuesday, March 15 through Friday, April 24. Read more from the Washington Governor's Office.
UPDATE, MARCH 11, 2020
In following with Washington State and King County Public Health Guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 City Hall is temporarily closed to the public effective immediately on March 11, 2020.
The State of Washington has prohibited events with more than 250 people in attendance. Read more.
The Local Health Officer for Public Health - Seattle & King County issued additional measures:
UPDATE, MARCH 10, 2020
UPDATE, MARCH 9, 2020
On Friday, the City of Sammamish was notified by Eastside Fire and Rescue (EF&R) that a patient at the Issaquah Nursing and Rehabilitation Center tested positive for COVID-19. Three EF&R firefighters, who had contact with the patient, are self-quarantining out of an abundance of caution and are currently asymptomatic. Emergency response staffing is not affected, and EF&R continues to operate at its full capability.
While this individual case is outside of City limits, we know that residents within the care facility may have ties to our community.
If you, or a loved one, has had recent contact with someone inside this facility, Public Health has specific advice for people who may have been around someone with COVID-19. See their full recommendations here.
First, know that you generally need to be in close contact with someone with COVID-19 to get infected. Close contact includes scenarios like living with or caring for a person with confirmed COVID-19, being within six feet of a person with confirmed COVID-19 for about 10 minutes, or if someone with COVID-19 coughed on you, kissed you, shared utensils with you or you had direct contact with their body secretions.
Our thoughts are with all the affected families in the region. King County Public Health has established a call center for those individuals who believe they may be exposed: 206-477-3977.
UPDATE, MARCH 6, 2020
Yesterday, the City of Sammamish issued a proclamation of local emergency to support the City’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the public health impacts of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus). The emergency declaration supports measures to be taken to protect public health, safety and welfare within the City. This declaration will go before the City Council for adoption at their March 10 meeting. Read the full proclamation here, and the press release here.
Per King County recommendations to slow the spread of COVID-19, there will be NO IN-PERSON PUBLIC ACCESS TO PUBLIC MEETINGS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. We are taking public comment for Planning Commission and City Council meetings via email & written docs submitted at the front counter. These meetings will continue to be broadcast to Channel 21 within Sammamish and archived on our YouTube Channel. Please check https://www.sammamish.us/ for the most up-to-date information about individual events. Thank you for your patience & understanding.
Public Health - Seattle & King County has issued new guidance on what to do if you have confirmed or suspected COVID-19 or are worried that you may have COVID-19.
UPDATE, MARCH 4, 2020
Public Health-Seattle & King County released new guidance today. "This is a critical moment in the growing outbreak of COVID-19 in King County and these measures can potentially impact the spread of the disease."
Public Health is recommending, but not requiring, the following steps:
Do not go to the emergency room unless essential. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs. If you have symptoms like cough, fever, or other respiratory problems, contact your regular doctor first.
View the full press release.
Today, Public Health-Seattle & King County also released Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Recommendations to Protect Our Community. This includes detailed guidance for people at higher risk for COVID-19, for schools, for employers, for those planning community gatherings and events, for people who are sick, & for the general public.
UPDATE, MARCH 3, 2020
At this time, Public Health officials are NOT recommending widespread closures of schools and public venues. However, residents 60 years and older and those with underlying medical conditions or weakened immune systems are urged by Public Health-Seattle & King County to avoid large public gatherings.
UPDATE, MARCH 1, 2020
Current Situation:
Personal hygiene -
Be prepared at home -
Information and resources are updated frequently and can be found at kingcounty.gov/COVID.
A public hotline has been set up by Washington State Dept of Health for individuals seeking information about their personal situation: 800-525-0127
Resource: This article in The Seattle Times provides local background and timely updates:
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/coronavirus-death-seattle-washington-state/
UPDATE, FEBRUARY 29, 2020:
The City of Sammamish has been actively working on a measured response to the threat to the coronavirus update.
Since being updated by King County Public Health yesterday afternoon of the recent cases in King and Snohomish Counties, our Emergency Manager, Andrew Stevens, has activated its Emergency Operations Center and is forming an internal COVID-19 Task Force.
The Sammamish City Council and City Manager were briefed on Friday.
It is very likely that COVID-19 will continue to spread in parts of the United States, including Washington State. When COVID-19 spreads in Washington State and Sammamish, regular day-to-day life may be disrupted in a variety of ways and the City is preparing for that.
Please refer to the City's website for resources, updates, and guidance. It will continue to be updated as needed.
This page will continue to be updated as the situation develops.
The Washington State Department of Health and King County Public Health emphasize these non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) as the most effective way for healthy residents to combat COVID-19:
These are broad based community-wide actions that can be taken to prevent disease spread, and they are unrestrictive or minimally restrictive.
UPDATE, FEBRUARY 28, 2020:
COVID-19 Updates: Currently, the local risk to individuals remain low, but precautions such as staying home when sick and washing your hands thoroughly and regularly are highly advised. King County Public Health recommends that organizations and individuals prepare now in order to reduce the number of illnesses and negative effects that could occur in our community.
Resources:
CDC (updated 2/27): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html
King County Public Health (updated 2/26): https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/communicable-diseases/disease-control/novel-coronavirus.aspx
Public Health Insider (Seattle & King County Public Health blog, which puts the data into perspective for local residents): https://publichealthinsider.com/
UPDATE, FEBRUARY 4, 2020:
Update on federal measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus:
UPDATE, January 30, 2020: Although the World Health Organization upgraded the international risk level today, the public health risk locally and within Washington State remains low.
Situation Summary
The City of Sammamish Office of Emergency Management is in close coordination with County and State Public Health officials regarding the recent outbreak of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
At this time, the risk to the general public is considered to be low, given that there is only one confirmed case identified in Washington and there is not yet evidence of sustained person-to-person transmission.
This page will be updated as more information becomes available.
The Washington State Department of Health has established a call center to address questions from the public. If you have questions about what is happening in Washington state, how the virus is spread, and what to do if you have symptoms, please call 1-800-525-0127 and press #.
What is happening?
On January 21, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Washington State Department of Health announced the first case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the United States in Snohomish County, WA.
The patient recently returned from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, where an outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus has been ongoing since December.
2019 novel coronavirus is concerning because it’s a new strain, appears to be spreading quickly, and can cause pneumonia.
How is it spread?
Human coronaviruses most commonly spread from an infected person to others through:
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of coronavirus may include:
If you have traveled to and from Wuhan City, or been in close contact with someone who has, and you have symptoms, contact a health care provider. Be sure to let them know about your recent travel to Wuhan City, if applicable.
If you have been notified by public health authorities that you might have been exposed, please follow instructions provided by the King County Public Health Department.
How can people protect themselves?
Protect yourself from Novel Coronavirus by following the same steps used to reduce your risk of getting any viral respiratory illness. These include:
What is the treatment?
There are no specific treatments for illnesses caused by human coronaviruses. Most people with common human coronavirus illness will recover on their own. However, you can do some things to relieve your symptoms, including:
Resources
Questions and Answers about Novel Coronavirus in WA: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19.aspx
PREGUNTAS Y RESPUESTAS SOBRE UN NUEVO CORONAVIRUS EN WASHINGTON (Q&A about novel coronavirus in Washington, Spanish)
關於華盛頓新型冠狀病毒的問題和解答 (Information about a novel coronavirus in Washington in Chinese, Traditional)
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2019 Novel Corona Virus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
City of Sammamish Emergency Preparedness Guide: https://www.sammamish.us/media/2069/sammamish-emergency-preparedness-guide.pdf
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