By: Erin Freeman | Lynnwood Times Staff
As the number of coronavirus cases rises throughout Washington State, Governor Jay Inslee and First Lady Trudi Inslee are encouraging Washingtonians to adjust their Thanksgiving and holiday plans, with new restrictions actively under consideration, announced Thursday, November 12, during an evening press conference.
Announcing that they would be celebrating the approaching holidays with family and friends virtually, the Inslee’s asked Washingtonians to do the same, forgoing gathering with people outside of their immediate households unless quarantined two weeks before celebrations.
“Tonight we have a simple request from our family to yours, please do not have Thanksgiving gatherings unless you’re positive that everyone there has quarantined successfully for 14 days, which would start today,” said Gov. Inslee.
First Lady Inslee specified that their request was not just applicable to Thanksgiving but to other sorts of holidays and celebrations such as birthday parties and Seahawks game gatherings.
“Otherwise, every other social gathering is just one more brick in the wall of infection,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what you are doing, these gatherings in your homes are dangerous right now.”
The address to Washingtonians follows statewide exponential growth of COVID-19, coronavirus cases doubling within the past two weeks, Snohomish County’s considerably exceeding record highs previously seen throughout the county. From Tuesday, November 10 through Thursday afternoon, the Snohomish Health District received notice of over 250 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases.
“We cannot wait until our hospitals are full and lined with gurneys waiting for rooms before we take decisive action,” said Gov. Inslee.
Gov. Inslee foretold that in the next few days, he and his office will be announcing further action to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
“We will be announcing further measures to prevent this from spreading,” stated Inslee. “These decisions will affect what we do outside of the home.”
