Washington governor issues 2-week stay-at-home order

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has ordered nonessential businesses to close and the state’s more than 7 million residents to stay home unless necessary in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The stay-at-home order was issued Monday night and will remain in place through April 6. It expands previous actions taken by Inslee last week that ordered the statewide closure of bars, dine-in restaurants, and entertainment and recreation facilities and banned large gatherings.

Several other states had already issued similar orders, including California and New York. Health officials reported Monday there have been at least 110 coronavirus deaths in Washington state and more than 2,200 confirmed cases.

“This is a human tragedy on a scale we cannot yet project. It’s time to hunker down in order to win this fight,” Inslee said during a televised address.

All businesses other than those deemed essential — a long list that includes grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, and gas stations — will need to close by Wednesday night. All public and private social, spiritual and recreational gatherings are also now banned, including weddings and funerals. The order’s prohibition on gatherings and leaving home unless necessary takes effect immediately. People will be required to stay home unless they are pursuing an essential activity, like shopping for groceries, going to a doctor’s appointment, or going to work at an essential business. People can still go for walks or runs outside if they maintain a six-foot distance from others.

As of Monday, more than 2,200 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the state, and at least 110 people have died. For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the vast majority recover. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.

“What we’re really trying to avoid is this rapid acceleration of cases,” Washington Secretary of Health John Wiesman said on a call with reporters after the governor’s announcement. “Without social distancing this just keeps spreading like wildfire.”

Inslee said he was concerned that many weren’t taking the outbreak seriously and were still not practicing social distancing when out. He had warned last week that he might have to move to more stringent restrictions after some Western Washington parks, beaches and trails saw large crowds during recent sunny days.

Inslee said he knows the order will add to the economic and family hardship many are already feeling, and that everyone wants things to be back to normal.

“The fastest way to get back to normal is to hit this hard,” Inslee said. “That’s what we’re doing.”

The governor’s office said that people should not use the stay-at-home order as a reason to overstock and urged people to stick to their normal buying habits.

The state has already closed schools through late April, banned events and large gatherings and ordered bars to close and restaurants to serve only take out or delivery options. State and local leaders have continued to urge people to stay at home and practice social distancing, but not everyone is following the advice. King County Search and Rescue is now asking people to avoid hiking so that its volunteers don’t have to respond and use their valued personal protective equipment if called.