'I don't want to be homeless': Hospitality workers reeling after shutdown announcement

SEATTLE – Public parks like Green Lake were few places buzzing with crowds on Sunday as social distancing becomes the new normal.

“It is really weird,” said Kristin Rahlfs. “I’ve been working from home for a week now. I miss my colleagues.”

Rahlfs has two young daughters. She said play dates are only taking place outside and conversations at home are about the coronavirus and how to practice social distancing safely.

“Honestly it’s kind of heartbreaking telling them you can’t hold your friend’s hand. You’re not high-fiving right now. We’re not hugging,” said Rahlfs.

Her daughter Reagan is a 6-year-old in kindergarten. She said, “Well we’re probably not going to go to Disneyland, and probably not going on my favorite airline and a cruise that we booked.”

Movie theaters, parking lots and businesses continue to be nearly empty.

New statewide measures to prevent the coronavirus from further spreading go into effect Monday. It’s an unprecedented shutdown for restaurants, bars and recreational facilities that several states have implemented over the weekend.

Laly Baker is a restaurant server who doesn’t know when she’ll see another paycheck.

“I want everyone to be safe, but again I don’t want to be homeless,” said Baker. “I do have enough friends and family that will take me but it’s not an ideal situation, and there are other people that don’t have this opportunity.”

Local businesses were already struggling through a slowdown in customers and the manager of ,

“So many of us rely on trying make ends meet week-to-week or month-to-month. Some of us are not hit as hard. Others are hit way harder than others," Juan Davilacanpodonico, manager of Café Racer in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood, said.

Governor Jay Inslee and local leaders are expected to share details on offsetting challenges for business owners and workers during a news conference on Monday.