While lauding the state’s energetic response to the spread of coronavirus, Sen. Joe Nguyen (D-White Center) said the siting of a quarantine facility in White Center continues a pattern of systemic disregard for that community.“I understand why this facility is needed,” said Nguyen, who represents White Center in the Washington State Senate. “But the appearance of placing it in a neighborhood that has already been historically marginalized conveys a message about whose safety we most value in our society that is not lost on me.”

Nguyen’s comments came after King County officials announced today that a quarantine facility for those diagnosed with coronavirus will be opened in the Top Hat neighborhood of White Center following news of multiple deaths from the virus earlier this week.

“It is promising to hear of action from the state regarding the containment of coronavirus,” Nguyen said. “While a quarantine facility does not necessarily mean the surrounding area is more prone to infection, I am wary to see that this facility has been placed in a community already deeply disenfranchised by decades of policies working against it.”

White Center is one of the most racially diverse areas in King County, with 60 percent of its population made up by people of color, according to 2010 Census records.

The quarantine facility is expected to be operating within 10 days and will include 32 rooms for people infected with coronavirus. More facilities are expected to be announced in the coming days in response to an increasing number of cases of the illness being diagnosed in King County.

In a press conference Monday, Washington’s Secretary of the Department of Health John Wiesman emphasized the need for steps forward as more cases of coronavirus are being confirmed throughout the region. As the need for measures such as quarantine facilities and increased accessibility of testing kits was highlighted, so too was the necessity of exercising personal health measures, including:

• Frequently washing your hands with hot soap and water for 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Staying home from work if you are sick or experiencing symptoms.
• Wiping down frequently touched surfaces.
• Calling the newest Department of Health coronavirus hotline with questions or concerns at 1-800-525-0127 and press #.

Additional measures aimed at prevention are expected to be announced in the coming days. More information on the coronavirus outbreak can be found on the Department of Health’s website.