Cars gather at the Seaview beach approach after primary approaches in Long Beach were gated shut Sunday, March 22 in Seaview.

LONG BEACH PENINSULA — Stay home to stay healthy is no longer a suggestion; It’s an order.

On Monday, March 23, Gov. Jay Inslee phased in a new set of closures for all non essential businesses and directed people to avoid leaving their homes for two weeks. Inslee’s announcement built on previous directives to close schools and ban dining in restaurants.

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Pacific County people with any questions about either covid-19, government orders or closures can contact the Pacific County Emergency Operations Center by phone at either 360-875-9407 or 360-642-9407 or 360-875-9342.

Inslee applauded those already curbing travel, and said his order was for those who still “don’t grasp the seriousness of this pandemic.”

The broadcast came after a surge of travelers to the Washington and Oregon coasts caused city and county governments to send visitors a message: Go home.

Inslee’s order

The governor’s latest stay home order will be in effect until at least April 6. The order allows people to shop for groceries, go to a doctor’s appointment, ride bikes and walk their dogs — but social distancing must be strictly observed, Inslee said.

Non essential businesses with office employees must close within 48 hours from the order unless employees can work from home. All public and private gatherings for social, spiritual and recreational purposes are banned.

There are no enforcement orders at this time, but Inslee said those actions may be put into place if needed.

Essential businesses will remain open. This includes banks, grocery stores, hospitals, child care providers, gas stations and restaurants doing delivery and takeout. People with questions about whether their business or employer is an essential business can call the Pacific County Emergency Operations Center at 360-875-9407.

Businesses can clarify and certify status, or petition to be added to the list of essential businesses by visiting the Washington State Business Re-Entry Registration website at: https://mil.wa.gov/business-re-entry-registration.

Coastal swarm

Inslee’s message was reiterated by Long Beach City Mayor Jerry Phillips on Tuesday, March 24.

“I know we are a destination spot, but we need everyone to stay home,” Phillips said.

While people can still walk the beaches, Phillips and the Long Beach City Council closed its beach approaches on Sunday, March 22 after crowds of people filled downtown Long Beach on Saturday, making enforcement of social distancing difficult, said Phillips.

Twenty-one recreational lodging businesses on the peninsula shuttered their doors voluntarily after discussions with the city and the Pacific County Tourism Bureau.

“Our visitors are very important to us but this is not the right time to be encouraging people to travel outside their own homes nor to invite them into our community,” said Andi Day, executive director, Pacific County Tourism Bureau. “If we can all act responsibly right now, this will be behind us in time to enjoy weeks at the beach in the near future.”

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources also announced closures Sunday, shutting down all Washington campgrounds until April 30. The closure included roofed accommodations like cabins and yurts.

Day use areas and trails remain open.

“Due to the volume of people visiting Washington’s ocean beaches, we are asking the public to avoid those areas,” the agencies said in a press release.

County issues order

That same day, Pacific County Health Officer Dr. Steven Krager ordered the closure of all beach approaches and hospitality lodging businesses in Pacific County. Ahead of the weekend, Krager tried to discourage visitors to the area by halting one of the peninsula’s main attractions, clam digging. But the order from Krager came on the eve of a scheduled four-day dig, which left little time to notify travelers.

Many came to the beach anyway, either unaware of the clamming closure or essentially taking a spring break trip to the ocean beach.

Visitors make it harder to trace patient zero and can deplete community resources such as food, pharmaceutical supplies and health care resources, Krager said about why the clam digs were canceled.

Krager’s recreational lodging ban applied to: resorts; hotels; motels; short-term rentals; timeshares; home stays, such as bed and breakfast lodging; campgrounds; RV parks; and private property being used as campgrounds.

The order does not apply to people who have resided in the lodging since March 17.

It also does not apply to: people employed by these businesses; people with work related to covid-19, such as healthcare professionals, national guard members, law enforcement, local, state and federal government employees and other essential personnel; people required by employers to travel in Pacific County, including truck drivers and service providers; more exceptions will be considered with a request in writing to the public health officer or another person working as his designee.

Violation of or failure to comply with the order could result in; a misdemeanor punishable by a fine, imprisonment up to ninety days, or both. The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies are empowered to enforce the order.

Broad support for actions

Bonnie Cozby, president of the Ocean Park Area Chamber of Commerce and chair of the Ocean Park Village Club said she spoke with about 15 to 20 merchants in Ocean Park, all of whom supported any action taken to limit the number of visitors to the peninsula. It is understood this is what needs to happen to stop this disease from spreading, Cozby said.

“We don’t really need to have any visitors at this moment,” Cozby said. “Thank you, but go home, that is where you’re supposed to be.”

A news release from the county said the order would be temporary, and “once the order is lifted, each jurisdiction hopes that everyone will come back and enjoy our ocean beaches and all that Pacific County has to offer.”

The order was supported by: the Pacific County Board of Commissioners; City of South Bend Mayor Julie Struck; City of Long Beach Mayor Jerry Phillips; City of Raymond Mayor Tony Nordin; and the City of Ilwaco Mayor Gary Forner.

Across the river

Meanwhile across the Columbia, the Astoria City Council voted to ban visitors from staying in hotels and other commercial lodging to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The order will apply for as long as an emergency declared by Astoria last week is in place. Long-term guests and essential workers are exempt. The city gave visitors until midnight Monday to leave hotels and other lodging.

The Clatsop County Board of Commissioners also called a special meeting by teleconference on Sunday afternoon to consider an emergency order on lodging.

The moves follow the decision by Warrenton on Saturday night to ban recreational camping, homestay lodging and hotel stays in city limits through at least April.