CORONAVIRUS: Monday 5/11 roundup

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Another stay-home week begins, and our nightly roundup hits the local COVID-19-related toplines:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From today’s data-dashboard update:

*7,115 people have tested positive, up 69 from yesterday

*505 people have died, up 7 from yesterday

One week ago, those numbers were 6,582 and 463.

MOURNING A WEST SEATTLE VICTIM: We learned today that longtime music educator and former West Seattle Big Band leader Donn Weaver lost his fight against COVID-19.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.

SFD, SPD UPDATES: Seattle’s public-safety agencies have been publishing weekly updates on how COVID-19 is affecting their staffs. One positive note in SFD’s report – no one currently in isolation or quarantine. SPD, though, has 17 employees with that status.

GOT YOUR MASK YET? The mayor and county executive held a media briefing today with Public Health Director Dr. Jeff Duchin, “strongly urging” everyone in King County to wear face coverings in public. Here’s Dr. Duchin’s directive. Note Part F:

Violation of this Directive does not create grounds for residents or law enforcement to stop, detain, issue a citation, arrest, intimidate, or harass individuals who do not comply with it. This Directive may and should be used to educate, encourage, and persuade individuals to wear face coverings.

But a business is totally within its rights, it was noted, to require customers to wear face coverings – that’s Part G.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN RESTAURANTS FIRST REOPEN? The governor’s office issued Phase 2 guidance today. The list of rules is here – it includes these:

1. Hand sanitizer should be available at entry for all staff and patrons (assuming supply
availability).

2. No bar seating is permitted during Phase 2. If an establishment has bar seating it must be closed
off to prohibit use.

3. If the establishment does not offer table service, they must have protocols in place to ensure
adequate social distancing at food and drink pick-up stations, and seating within their dining
area.

4. All parties and tables must be 5 guests or less.

5. Guest occupancy must be 50% of maximum building occupancy or lower as determined by the
fire code. Outdoor seating is permitted but must also be at 50% capacity. Outdoor seating does
not count toward the building occupancy limit. Outdoor seating must follow all other
requirements in this document.

6. Tables must be placed far enough apart when measured from occupied chair to occupied chair,
to ensure dine-in guests seated at a table are a minimum of 6 feet away from guests at adjacent
table, or there must be a physical barrier or wall separating booths or tables.

7. It is strongly suggested customers wear a cloth face covering anytime they are not seated at the
table (while being seated or leaving, or while going to the restroom).

8. Buffets and salad bars are not permitted at this time but may be addressed through subsequent
interpretive guidance.

9. If the establishment offers table service, create a daily log of all customers and maintain that
daily log for 30 days, including telephone/email contact information, and time in. This will
facilitate any contact tracing that might need to occur.

10. Single use menus are required for in-person dining.

11. Any condiments typically left on the table (ketchup, soy sauce, etc.) must be single-use or
sanitized after each use.

12. Restaurants must have implemented a plan to ensure proper physical distancing in
lobby/waiting areas/payment counters.

13. Minimize the number of staff serving any given table. It is strongly recommended that one staff
person take a table’s order, bring all of their beverages/food/utensils, take their payment, etc

No date yet for Phase 2 in our area, but some smaller counties are making the transition, so that’s why the guidance is out now.

SCHOOL PARADES: Two months ago today, Seattle Public Schools announced it would close its campuses – and within days, all schools were shutting down in-person learning. Some schools have been having “parades” so students and staff can see each other at a distance; today, Sanislo Elementary had one, and we also featured a video of the recent parade at Hope Lutheran.

GOT INFO? PHOTOS? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!

DBurns May 11, 2020 (10:01 pm)

Regarding the restaurant re-openings:
We owned a family operated restaurant for 11 years and I cannot imagine how challenging this will all be for small businesses. While I fully support the Governor’s plan and will only patronize businesses that do also, I simply can’t see opening my restaurant for 50% of the patrons/business. Am I understanding this correctly? Pulling out half of our seating, all of the increase in safety precautions, additional staff training & management and the purchase and stocking of single use items would surely have closed us quickly. I feel so sad for small business.

WSB May 11, 2020 (10:22 pm)

Theoretically then 3+ weeks later, Phase 3 could kick in – if all went relatively well with Phase 2 – but those rules haven’t been written yet.
lookingforlogic May 12, 2020 (8:04 am)

It’s too complicated too function, we just won’t sit in restaurants for the foreseeable future.

Juju May 11, 2020 (11:51 pm)

In my view going out for a meal will be onerous and not much fun. Looks like meals in for the foreseeable future, at least for me and my clan.

newnative May 12, 2020 (9:29 am)

The last time we sat down in a restaurant was just days before the closures and it was very tense. Similar to going to the grocery store these days, looking around to see who is coughing, wondering if the employees were washing their hands, wondering if we could really afford to go out. I think it’s going to be that way for a while.

Chuck Jacobs May 12, 2020 (9:02 am)

I wouldn’t be surprised if having lived several pay cycles without eating out, people realize how bloody expensive it is, particularly in Seattle.

Amanda May 12, 2020 (2:17 pm)

There is a amazing food truck that just set up shop by Trader Joe’s. 38th and Fauntleroy under the big billboard. I had them for lunch and the fried chicken and collard greens were amazing!!!! We may not get to sit in restaurants for a while.. but these two brothers have decided to make West Seattle their home for now and I think it’s wonderful!! They cook out of a commissary here already and decided to make this there spot! Swagg’n’waggon is their name.

CAM May 12, 2020 (7:46 pm)

I guess I’m having a different reaction to those restaurant requirements than everyone else. If a restaurant were to follow all of those guidelines I’d probably feel ok eating there. I will probably still limit how much I eat out compared to pre-covid times to limit risk but I’m hoping I feel comfortable enough soon to be able to enjoy a meal at a restaurant and maybe even do so with a friend. My concern is whether businesses will comply with the recommendations. Just before everything closed I got an email from a movie theater who listed all the things they were doing as a franchise to reduce exposure and risk so I decided it sounded reasonably safe and went to a movie. Unfortunately I discovered after I got there that the location I was at had not implemented half the things they were supposed to and I just felt nervous and gross the whole time I was there. I don’t want to have to leave somewhere because the owner/staff/manager aren’t being responsible.

anonyme May 13, 2020 (7:41 am)

It would be great to see food trucks in more locations. I’d like to suggest 35th & Roxbury, as Arbor Heights has no walkable amenities. Several options at a time would be fantastic. El Chapulin Oaxaqueno would be VERY welcome!

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