Sea-Tac To Require Face Coverings Starting Monday

SEATAC, WA — The Port of Seattle is reminding everyone: be safe when traveling. To that end, Tuesday the Port touted several new protocols they are implementing to keep the airport as safe from the coronavirus as possible, including a new face covering mandate.

According to the port, all passengers, visitors and public-facing employees will be required to wear face coverings starting Monday, May 18.

The airport is also asking visitors to follow new safety practices including:

• Maintaining a distance of six feet between themselves and others
• Avoiding congregating in enclosed spaces
  • No more than four people per elevator
  • Less than 10 people per train car
  • Keeping a space of four steps between yourself and others on the escalator
• Frequently washing your hands with soap and water
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Avoiding the airport all together when sick

The port says several improvements have been made to make Sea-Tac safer. The airport is hanging signs reminding everyone of the new safety protocols. Plexiglass barriers have also been installed at many desks and kiosks to create a safety wall between employees and passengers. Finally, the Port of Seattle says the airport is frequently disinfected with medical grade cleaning products.

Sea-Tac says that, as scientific research around the coronavirus progresses, they will consider additional protections like ultraviolet light cleanings. They are also working on new tech which would require less physical touch, limiting possibilities for coronavirus transmissions.

The federal government has advised that travelers only use airports for essential travel, causing a significant decrease in passengers at Sea-Tac in recent months. The airport says compared to this time last year, they've lost about 90 percent of their regular customers.