Inslee announces statewide stay-at-home order

Following the lead of California and several other states and local communities, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday evening announced an immediate statewide “stay-at-home” order that will last for at least two weeks and require all residents of Washington to remain at home unless they’re conducting essential business.

Inslee's announcement followed a similar move by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown earlier in the day. 

The sweeping new restrictions on daily life represent the most dramatic step yet in Inslee’s use of his emergency powers to try to enforce social distancing and slow the spread of coronavirus. 

Previously, Inslee limited crowd sizes, shuttered schools for six weeks and ordered bars, restaurants and other entertainment venues to close. But in recent days, there were growing calls for Inslee to take the next step and mandate that people remain home. 

To date, the virus has claimed 110 lives in the state and 2,221 people have tested positive with 31 of 39 counties reporting at least one case. Until recently, Washington led the nation with the most confirmed cases and the most deaths. Now New York, with more than 20,000 cases and 157 deaths as of Monday, has that distinction, according to NPR. 

Inslee announced his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order during a rare televised speech. The governor's decision to restrict individual activity followed a sunny, early spring weekend during which images were widely shared on social media of crowds of people recreating outdoors and not practicing social-distancing.

@GovInslee Rattlesnake Ridge in North Bend as of a few moments ago (Saturday March 21 around 3pm). What is it going to take @GovInslee ?!#ShutItDownJay pic.twitter.com/XPrs2dTcTo— Jason Mack (@jasonlwsmac19) March 21, 2020

Last Friday, Inslee warned that more emergency measures might be necessary if the public didn't heed calls to voluntarily limit their activities.

“The governor has been very clear on the need for Washingtonians to stay home, and while most Washingtonians are doing their part, some are still not grasping the seriousness of this pandemic,” his office said Monday. 

In addition to requiring people to remain at home, Inslee’s new proclamation also orders all non-essential businesses in the state to shutter within 48 hours. 

Grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies and other businesses deemed essential will remain open. In addition, restaurants will still be allowed to offer take-out and delivery. 

The definition of an essential business will be based, at least in part, on how the federal government and the state of California define essential critical infrastructure workers. Sectors deemed essential in California include: healthcare and public health, emergency services, food and agriculture and energy. 

The order – which Inslee’s office said is not a shelter-in-place order -- will require Washington’s 7.5 million residents to remain at home unless they are engaged in an essential activity. Examples include: going to the grocery store or a doctor’s appointment or going to work at an essential business. 

“It is still safe to go outside; the grocery stores and other essential businesses will remain open,” Inslee’s office said, adding that people should stick to their “normal buying habits” and “avoid the impulse to overstock.”

Even so, the requirement that people stay home is likely to have a profound effect on daily lives. According to guidance from Inslee’s office, all public and private gatherings “for social, spiritual and recreational purposes” will be banned, including weddings and funerals. That provision also takes effect immediately.

A violation of an emergency ordered issued by the governor is a gross misdemeanor. 

Inslee’s new order came on the heels of an announcement from The Boeing Company that it will idle its operations in Washington, including its sprawling Everett assembly plant, for 14 days. That followed the death of an Everett plant worker who reportedly died from COVID-19. Boeing’s Renton plant was already idled as a result of the ongoing FAA grounding of the 737 Max airplane.

Even though Washington was the first state to have a confirmed case of COVID-19 and the first to report deaths from the virus, Inslee lagged other governors in moving to impose a stay-home order. According to CNN, 12 states representing 39 percent of the nation’s population will have such an order in place by Wednesday. Washington is expected to be the 13th. 

Some local governments didn’t wait for Inslee’s order. Over the weekend, officials in Yakima County and in the cities of Everett and Edmonds issued their own orders for people to stay at home.

“We have been thoughtful and deliberate in making these tough choices,” Inslee’s office said. [Copyright 2020 Northwest News Network]