(Edmonds, WA) –  At an emergency City Council meeting convened today at 2:00 pm, the Edmonds City Council, with all seven members participating,  unanimously approved broad emergency powers for the Mayor to address the current COVIDL-19  emergency and/or others in the future.   Upon approval of these broadened powers, Mayor Mike Nelson issued via proclamation a general stay-at-home order for residents, business owners and others who work and recreate within the City of Edmonds, effective as of 11:59 pm today, Sunday, March 22, 2020.

 

The order lays out the following provisions:

A. Stay home, except for certain essential activities and work to provide essential business and government services, or perform essential public infrastructure construction. Homeless individuals are not subject to this order.

B. Essential activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Errands to maintain health and safety, such as obtaining medicine or seeing a doctor.
  • Acquiring necessary services or supplies for you, your family or household members, such as getting food and supplies, pet food and supplies necessary for staying home. This can include curbside pick-up, delivery, take out or drive-thru food and beverage services. Please only purchase items you immediately need and do not stockpile.
  • Engaging in outdoor activity, such as walking, hiking, or running, provided you keep at least 6 feet of distance between others.
  • Caring for a family member in another household.
  • Caring for elderly, minors, dependents, people with disabilities or other vulnerable persons.

 

Essential business and government services include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Health care operations, including all training and educational programs and home health workers.
  • Essential infrastructure, including construction of housing (residential and mixed-use), industrial and commercial projects currently underway; and operation of public transportation and utilities.
  • Businesses that supply products or services necessary to both maintain the functionality and/or safety of equipment, facilities, utilities, healthcare, national defense, all modes of transportation and critical supply chains used in other essential businesses.
  • Grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores.
  • Food and beverage providers offering curbside pick up, delivery, take out or drive-thru services.
  • Businesses that provide necessities of life for economically disadvantaged individuals and shelter facilities.
  • Pharmacies, health care supply stores and health care facilities.
  • Gas stations and auto repair facilities.
  • Banks.
  • Garbage collection.
  • Hardware stores, plumbers, electricians and other service providers necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operation of residences and other essential businesses.
  • Educational institutions, for the purposes of facilitating distance learning.
  • Laundromats, dry cleaners and laundry service providers.
  • Businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food and goods directly to residences.
  • Childcare facilities providing services that enable essential employees to go to work.
  • Roles required for any essential business to “maintain basic operations,” which include security, payroll and similar activities.

See the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s comprehensive list of Critical Infrastructure Sectors.

C. Follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and prevention when conducting essential activities and services allowed under B. above.

These recommendations include the following: (i) maintain at least 6 feet from other individuals, wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as frequently as possible or use hand sanitizer, cover coughs or sneezes, and do not shake hands; and (ii) perform routine environmental cleaning.

D. Employers in Edmonds that do not provide essential businesses or government services should take all steps necessary for employees to work remotely from home to the extent possible.

“I I have issued this order because we need to take more significant measures to safeguard Edmonds residents, workers and visitors during this critical period of the COVID-19 outbreak,” stated Mayor Nelson.  “It is only with such extraordinary precautions that we can hope to staunch the spread of this virus and look forward to a return to normal in the not-too-distant future.”

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