Gov. Jay Inslee said the date was the "soonest" that the stay home efforts could end.
- Olympia, WA
Governor Inslee is extending the Stay at Home Order till at least May 4th, 2020. Inslee said that the data collected on the spread of the novel coronavirus shows it is still on the rise in Washington state but is also decreasing in spread
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"The science is clear: more people will die if we stop now," he said.
"We unfortunately have yet to see the full weight of this virus in our state. This order is not only justified, it is morally necessary," he said. "We are confident in the steps we have taken but we cannot lose steam in the middle of this fight."
"May 4th is the soonest that we could possibly achieve our ends to keep our loved ones safe," Inslee said.
The stay home order was originally issued on March 23, and initially was slated to end this week.
Inslee said there was a possibility that the mandate could be extended after May 4.
"The virus has a say in this, and what it does is something we will be watching closely every single day," he said. "Let's pitch in to make it the last date."
Governor Inslee said that epidemiologists at the University of Washington have modeled that there may be over 1,000 deaths in the state with the current efforts set in place, and more than that if the stay at home efforts end.
The stay-home mandate allows people to leave their homes for imperative errands and to go outside, for activities such as walks and gardening, while maintaining a safe social distance from others. Only essential businesses may remain open to the public.
There are no new restrictions to the order, he said. Governor Inslee also called for the increased efforts to help Washington residents who will be financially hurt by the continued stay-home mandate.
Washington state has already started a moratorium on all residential evictions and mortgage forbearance, and many localities have announced delayed deadlines with taxes.
He also encouraged private residents to support local businesses.
"The fastest way to economic recovery is for a recovery of our health, which is fundamental to all we hold dear," he said.
The Washington State Department of Health reported 262 deaths from coronavirus statewide as of Thursday, April 2 among 6,585 total cases. Grant County remains one of Central Washington's highest infected cases at among 73 cases county-wide.
There have been 79,418 people tested for coronavirus across the state and 6,585 of them (or 8.3%) have come back positive. The other 72,833 (or 92%) people received negative test results, according to the Washington State department of health.
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