June 5 COVID-19 update

Today we received the very welcome news that Snohomish County has been approved to move to phase two of the governor’s Safe Start reopening plan, effective immediately. In this next phase, we can spend time with more of our friends and family, we can go to our favorite restaurants and we can get haircuts (among other things). You can view what’s now allowed here. I’m looking forward to seeing more of our city back in business!

It’s important to keep top of mind that we’re still dealing with a global pandemic and are not yet out of the woods. Members of our community are still getting sick; members of our community are still dying from this terrible virus. Please continue to follow public health guidelines so we can ensure forward momentum.

I want to thank everyone in our community for their help achieving this milestone. I know the incredible stress we’ve all been under, the sacrifices we’ve had to make and the tremendous losses we’ve experienced. It will take us a long while to recover from all of this. But we are making progress and heading in the right direction, and we’ve made it to this point because of YOU. I thank each of you for staying home, keeping your distance, covering your face and doing your part to help keep our community safe.

Be well.

New reopening resources available for businesses

Snohomish County is now in phase two of the governor’s Safe Start plan and we want to help businesses be ready to safely reopen. We've added new resources to the Getting to Safe toolkit, including new sign templates for businesses to customize and print for employee and customer notifications. Learn more, find resources and start readying your small business for reopening at everettforeverett.com/safeopening.

Parks in phase two

Now that we’re in phase two, we're able to safely reopen a few more park amenities. Last month we reopened golf courses, parking lots, sports courts and boat launches. In phase two, we'll open skate parks, beaches, disc golf courses and off leash areas. Remember to recreate responsibly and follow public health guidelines: cover your face, keep a safe distance from others, limit gatherings to no more than 5 people, stay home if you are sick, stay out of closed areas and pack out what you pack in. Thanks for helping keep our parks and our community healthy!

Snohomish County moves to phase two of the Safe Start plan

Snohomish County today received approval to move into phase two of the governor’s Safe Start plan, effective immediately. Phase two allows for more businesses and activities to reopen, and gatherings of five people or less are allowed. Learn more about what phase two means for businesses and workers, what new public activities are allowed and how you can continue to keep yourself, loved ones and the community safe and healthy.

New COVID-19 testing strategy

Governor Inslee and Secretary of Health John Wiesman recently announced a new COVID-19 testing strategy focused on testing everyone with symptoms. They provided updates on the state’s testing capacity and urge anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, even mild symptoms, to get tested and stay home. People who have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 or who live or work in settings that may have been exposed to a COVID-19 outbreak should also get tested and stay home. Learn more by watching the June 4 press conference on TVW.

COVID-19 risk assessment dashboard update

Governor Jay Inslee and the state’s Joint Information Center added new data to the state's COVID-19 risk assessment dashboard. The updated dashboard provides researchers and the public a better ability to see what’s happening regionally and countywide when it comes to COVID-19 activity, testing and healthcare system readiness. View data and metrics to see where we're at as a county in meeting the criteria required to move to the next phases of the Safe Start plan.

COVID-19 cases in Snohomish County

Visit the Snohomish Health District’s website for up-to-date information on COVID-19, including updated case count information like the chart below that illustrates the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Snohomish County by date.

NEW CASES OF COVID-19 REPORTED IN SNOHOMISH COUNTY BY DATE

New COVID-19 cases by date graph for Snohomish County

Return-to-work resources

As businesses begin to reopen, the Washington Employment Security Department wants to help answer your questions. They’ve developed a Return-To-Work FAQ to answer common questions from workers and employers. Can workers refuse work and collect unemployment? If workers fall ill, are they eligible for unemployment? Answers to these and other questions can be found in their Workers Q&A and Business Q&A. They also offer several resources as employers gradually reopen and bring workers back. The SharedWork program provides employers flexibility to bring employees back and retain their workers at reduced hours.

Expand your business with the Everett Public Library

In case you missed it, the Everett Public Library is hosting a small business tech series on Wednesdays in June at 4 p.m. to help you build and brand your small business. Bring your questions and get feedback from tech-savvy librarians. The series is free, open to all and will cover the basics of using Google, YouTube, and a free library database to grow business contacts and generate new leads. Learn more: epls.org/smallbusiness:

June 3: Connect with Customers and Manage Your Business Remotely (watch it here)
June 10: Get Your Local Business on Google Search and Maps
June 17: Quickly Generate Lead Lists for Your Business with a Free Library Database
June 24: Use YouTube to Grow Your Business

Stay informed
There’s a lot of information out there these days and it changes often. The Washington State Department of Health’s blog is a great way to stay informed and up to date on the latest news and information. This week’s blog post highlights the top five most important things to know about the pandemic right now:

Six feet away, buddy!
I care about you
This is how we open the economy
We know how to beat this
We must address racism and COVID-19 at the same time

Learn more by reading the blog post and help spread the facts about COVID-19.

Stay healthy

While phase two of the Safe Start plan allows for more activities and more businesses to reopen, it's vital we all continue to follow public health guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

Cover your face
Keep a safe distance (at least 6 feet) from others
Stay home if you are sick
Get tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19
Avoiding gatherings and groups of more than five people

Dream big to improve healthcare

The NW Innovation Resource Center announced the launch of an Amazon Catalyst competition to discover and reward big ideas to residents in the city of Everett with healthcare solutions for products, services and processes that focus on healthcare issues. The Amazon Catalyst competition is a program aimed at supercharging innovation and encouraging individuals to think big, invent solutions to real-world problems and make a positive impact on the world. Everett residents are encouraged to submit their proposals at catalyst.amazon.com/nwirc-everettwa through July 31, 2020. Learn more.

Get tested

The Department of Health urges anyone and everyone with COVID-19 symptoms to get tested. Testing is an important part of the public health response to this virus and allows health officials to identify people who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive and prevent them spreading the virus to others before they get symptoms. This important step can stop the virus from spreading in communities. Learn more about the importance of testing for COVID-19.