Businesses around Seattle are being asked to stagger work times at their offices in order to cut the number of people crowded into mass transit vehicles at rush hour.

In a press conference, King County Public Health Director Patty Hayes also encouraged community events organizers to postpone large gatherings.

“If you can feasibly avoid large groups of people together, consider postponing those meetings," Hayes said.

Hayes emphasized that they currently are not asking any schools to close “unless there has been a confirmed case within that school.”