Please visit our new COVID-19 News and Resources website for daily updates, news, resources and support.

https://www.pacificcountycovid19.com

April 2, 2020 Updates

COVID-19 is a difficult life situation that humanity has faced and against which a complex of counteraction and prevention has been created. This topic is now actively promoted in the media, so we are more informed, but still, if you want to order a work on "COVID-19" contact the best writing service.

All counties in WA State have reported confirmed cases of COVID-19, except five:

• Asotin
• Garfield
• Pacific
• Pend Oreille
• Wahkiakum

WA State Total Positive/Confirmed Cases: 5,984. WA Total Deaths: 247.

Data display for “Current Status in Washington State”: CLICK HERE

2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Status

Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0
• Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0
• Negative Tests (reported): 75

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

Grays Harbor

Confirmed Positive: 2

Lewis County

Confirmed Positive: 10

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 3

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates:  CLICK HERE

For more information and resources, please download the Additional Resources PDF below.

Updates from Governor Inslee’s Press Conference

Due to the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection-control products, Gov. Jay Inslee urged Washington manufacturers to seriously consider retooling their factories to help. A list of needed products and how companies can assist is on the state coronavirus website.

Dan Nordstrom, president and CEO of Outdoor Research, announced at Gov. Inslee’s press conference that his Seattle manufacturing facility is converting its production of outdoor gear to PPEs for the medical community. The company plans to produce upwards of 200,000 masks per day.

COVID-19 Myth Buster

Myth: This doesn’t really affect me because I’m young and healthy.

Fact: People of all ages can get and spread COVID-19. Older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease) appear to be more at risk for getting very sick from the virus. For your own health and the health of your community, you need to stay home away from people who don’t live in your house, wash your hands, and try not to touch your face.

Myth: You need a pass to travel to your essential job in Washington.

Fact: Essential workers are permitted to travel to and from work without a special permit.

Myth: I should probably stock up on some more groceries.

Fact: There has been no disruption to the supply chain that delivers goods. If we all purchase what we need without hoarding, there will be enough for everyone. Reduce waste and help your neighbors by buying just what you need. And remember! You can increase your social distancing while grocery shopping by using a grocery delivery or pick-up service. And you can increase social connection by offering to pick up a bag of groceries for a friend or neighbor.

Myth: Here’s a top secret way to protect yourself from COVID-19 that doctors don’t want you to know about!

Fact: Don’t believe everything you see on the internet. The best way to keep yourself and others from getting COVID-19 is to stay home as much as possible, wash your hands frequently, and not touch your face. There is nothing you can eat, bathe in, or inhale that will protect you from this virus. And some of the suggested “preventatives” on social media are downright dangerous. There is quite a bit of research going on into a vaccine or medications that may help, so I hope to be able to pass on that good news soon. But until then, just scroll past anything that sounds too good to be true.

Myth: The government called to ask for my private information.

Fact: That was not the government. The federal stimulus package included about $1,200 per person. This money has not been distributed yet, but some scammers are trying to take advantage of people. Remember—the government will not ask you to pay anything up front to get this money. No fees. No charges. No nothing. The government will not call to ask for your Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers. Anyone who does is a scammer.

Myth: We’re going back to normal after this.

Fact: Eventually we will leave our homes again, see our friends, and go to restaurants and to work. But this is a life-changing experience. We won’t be “normal” again. Maybe we’ll hug our people tighter, maybe we’ll savor our time together more. Maybe we’ll help to keep the air clean by working at home more often. Maybe we’ll decide it’s important for everyone to be able to get health care when they need it. Maybe we’ll go for more walks. We will leave our houses again, but it won’t feel normal.

Myth: There’s nothing fun to do.

Fact: What? It’s Census Day! The census will determine how many congressional representatives Washington gets. Census results have an impact on planning and funding for health clinics and highways, fire departments and disaster response, education programs such as Head Start and college tuition assistance, and so much more. It takes less than 10 minutes to fill in. Complete yours today: https://2020census.gov/en.html

Apple released a new website and iOS app to allow for COVID-19 screening for coronavirus symptoms

The COVID-19 app and website were built in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as the White House’s Coronavirus Task Force and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 

The app and website both have up-to-date information on the coronavirus and tells people what to do if they’re experiencing symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, a fever or difficulty breathing. It also includes less well-known symptoms such as a sore throat, chills, body aches, vomiting and diarrhea.

Full Article HERE

New factsheet on teleworking ergonomics

An unprecedented number of Washingtonians are working from home. Many had to quickly transition from a comfortable work space to a makeshift office. Staying safe at home also means ensuring your work station keeps you comfortable and injury-free. The Department of Labor & Industries created a teleworking ergonomics factsheet with helpful tips to increase productivity and reduce discomfort.

April 1, 2020 Updates

*** Due to technical difficulties related to a high volume of data, the Department of Health was unable to post new numbers. Read DOH Press Release for amplifying information. ***

For helpful resources, please download the Additional Resources file below. 

All counties in WA State have reported confirmed cases of COVID-19, except 5

• Asotin
• Garfield
• Pacific
• Pend Oreille, and
• Wahkiakum

Data display for “Current Status in Washington State”: click here

• Washington State Total Positive/Confirmed Cases: 4,896.
• Washington State Total Deaths: 195.

Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0
• Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0
• Negative Tests (reported) : 55

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

Grays Harbor

• Confirmed Positive: 1

Lewis County

• Confirmed Positive: 10

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 3

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates: click here. 

For helpful resources, please download the Additional Resources file below. 

WA DOH has Challenges with COVID-19 Number Reports

Department of Health is committed to continued data transparency. Here’s some context about our recent challenges: 

• The Washington Disease Reporting System (WDRS) is used to report notifiable conditions, like COVID-19. 
• Outside a pandemic, only positive results would be reported. 
• To give us a better understanding of the situation, WDRS is now tracking negative results for COVID-19. This volume is overwhelming the tool. We have worked with the vendor supporting WDRS to increase capacity.

Drive Through COVID-19 Testing to be Conducted in Pacific County

The full press release can be downloaded below. 

A limited supply of COVID-19 testing supplies will be made available at drive through testing events for symptomatic priority groups (outlined below).

• Symptomatic Healthcare workers (Includes all staff, such as kitchen staff, maintenance, etc., who work in healthcare facilities including long term care and assisted facilities. This also includes home health care workers).
• Symptomatic Public Safety workers (Includes law enforcement, corrections officers, fire fighters and EMS workers).
• Symptomatic Pharmacy and Grocery Store workers.

One or more of the following symptoms are required for testing:

• Fever >100.4 degrees
• Dry cough, or
• Shortness of breath.

Appointments for those meeting the criteria of a symptomatic priority groups (outlined above) can be made by calling the Pacific County Emergency Operations Center at 360-875-9407 or 360-642-9407, beginning on April 1, 2020 from 8:00am-4:00pm. Drive through testing will occur on April 2, 2020 (Long Beach) and April 3, 2020 (South Bend).

The full press release can be downloaded below. 

Financial Resources from Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI)

The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions has developed a list of financial resources for Washington consumers impacted by the Coronavirus. Today, Gov. Jay Inslee and Charlie Clark, director of DFI announced the state is taking steps to assist distressed Washington homeowners who are unable to make their mortgage payments due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions

COVID-19 Modeling Data

Developed by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an independent global health research center at the University of Washington.

If you click on “View the COVID-19 US projections data visualization”  you can see data for the United States as a whole, and also by state using the drop down menu.

Click here. 

How does the governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order affect kids who live with two parents in separate houses?

The governor has clarified that his stay home-stay healthy order should not interfere with a private parenting plan.  So, kids can travel to see both parents, as previously agreed in the parenting plan.

Scam Alert

The federal government is seeing an increase in scams related to federal stimulus payments including phone calls, text messages and e-mails phishing for information. The messaging includes variations of language such as “in order to receive your/your client’s stimulus payment via direct deposit, we need you to confirm the banking information” and they are gathering that information via telephone or directing victims to click on a link that takes them to a website where they enter their banking information. Here’s some important things to know:

1. The government will not ask you to pay anything up front to get this money.
2. The government will not call to ask for your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card number. 

If you spot a scam, please tell the Federal Trade Commission: www.ftc.gov/complaint. The Washington State Office of the Attorney General also has information and resources for reporting scams.

Pacific County Emergency Operations Center: Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 31^th, 2020

Writer: Chief Criminal Deputy Pat Matlock, PIO

Pacific County Emergency Operations Center

COVID-19 Response

Direct Response: (360) 875-9407 / (360) 642-9407 or [email protected]

                                                                                                                                                           

DRIVE THROUGH COVID-19 TESTING TO BE CONDUCTED IN PACIFIC COUNTY 

South Bend, WA. –The Pacific County Emergency Operations Center has been working diligently to acquired COVID-19 testing supplies. With the help of the Washington State Department of Health, a limited supply will be made available at drive through testing events for symptomatic priority groups (outlined below).

 

• Symptomatic Healthcare workers (Includes all staff, such as kitchen staff, maintenance, etc., who work in healthcare facilities including long term care and assisted facilities. This also includes home health care workers).
• Symptomatic Public Safety workers (Includes law enforcement, corrections officers, fire fighters and EMS workers).
• Symptomatic Pharmacy and Grocery Store workers.

One or more of the following symptoms are required for testing

• Fever >100.4 degrees
• Dry cough
• Shortness of breath.

Appointments for those meeting the criteria of a symptomatic priority groups (outlined above) can be made by calling the Pacific County Emergency Operations Center at 360-875-9407 or 360-642-9407, beginning on April 1, 2020 from 8:00am-4:00pm.

Drive through testing will occur on April 2, 2020 (Long Beach) and April 3, 2020 (South Bend).Testing location and appointment time will be given once screening is complete.

For more information, please contact the Direct Response line at (360) 875-9407 / (360) 642-9407 or [email protected]

March 31, 2020 Updates

Due to technical difficulties related to a high volume of data, the Department of Health did not post new numbers today. Updates expected to resume tomorrow, April 1st. 

Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0
• Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0
• Negative Tests (reported) : 55

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

Grays Harbor

• Confirmed Positive: 1

Lewis County

• Confirmed Positive: 10

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 3

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates click here. 

Washington State cell phones carriers will provide Lifeline services to eligible clients

Lifeline is the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) program to make communications services accessible to low-income consumers. Lifeline provides subscribers a discount on monthly telephone service, broadband Internet access service, or voice-broadband bundled service purchased from participating providers.

Lifeline is available to eligible, low-income consumers in every state, commonwealth, territory, and on Tribal lands. The Lifeline program is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). USAC is responsible for data collection and maintenance, support calculation, disbursements, and assisting consumers with Lifeline eligibility and enrollment for the program. 

 The following Lifeline service providers are active in Washington:

• Access wireless
• Assurance wireless
• Budget mobile
• enTouch wireless
• Life wireless
• Safelink wireless
• Yourtel wireless

How do people apply for the lifeline?

Federal regulations (47 CFR Part 54, sec. 54.400) allow one Lifeline subsidy per household. This means that client must choose whether they want the subsidy applied to a landline or cell phone.

Landline

Contact your local landline phone service provider and request a Lifeline Application. If you are eligibility, the local phone company will apply Lifeline subsidy to your phone bill.

Cell phone

You must apply with a Lifeline cell phone provider in Washington. After you complete your phone company’s application for Lifeline services, you will receive a cell phone by mail if you are eligible.

Guidance on enforcement on essential business

Gov. Jay Inslee announced guidance today for state and local enforcement of his recent “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order. The state has created a one-stop online form for reporting businesses potentially violating orders and is providing guidance to local law enforcement on enforcing bans on gatherings of individuals.

Still have questions? Please call the Pacific County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Call Center (Weekdays, 8:00am-4:00pm): 360-875-9407 or 360-642-9407.

From DOH: Newly Released Power BI charts

In collaboration with Microsoft, we have released new Power BI charts and maps on our website. (www.doh.wa.gov/coronavirus) We think they are beautiful, and we hope that they make it easier for you to use our data to answer your questions! Keep checking the website—we update it every day with new information that is accurate and complete as of 11:59 p.m. the previous day. We have a team working with local health departments and those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 to make sure our data are as accurate and complete as possible. This work happens on an ongoing basis. As we find out more information about people diagnosed with COVID-19—for example, they actually live in a different county than what we originally thought—we fix that information, and you may notice small changes in the number of cases we show in each county as a result.

Some information takes more time to figure out. It might take a couple days to learn from a laboratory that a person has tested positive for COVID-19. Our death data come from death certificates. After a person dies, it can take several days to receive a completed death certificate. And, in some cases, it can take a while longer to figure out exactly how somebody died. So, you’ll notice we’ve marked the most recent days of data as incomplete on our charts. You have all the information we have, but we know we’ll learn more as time goes by.

Maybe you’ve heard we’re trying to “flatten the curve.” On our website, we call the curve we’re trying to flatten “an epidemiologic curve,” but usually we just say “an epi curve.” The epi curve shows the number of people who got sick with COVID-19 per day in Washington out of all those who have been tested since late February. While it’s likely many more people in Washington have gotten sick with COVID-19 and have not had a test—and therefore are not on our epi curve—the shape of the curve is still informative: the number of people in our state who have had COVID-19 has been increasing through this time period. We will monitor this information over the next couple of weeks to see if the social distancing we are doing flattens the curve.

Check out our website to see the visuals!

Update from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner

OIC updated their fact sheet to include some information on telehealth and other coverage issues.

March 30, 2020 Updates

All counties in WA State have reported confirmed cases of COVID-19, except five:

• Asotin
• Garfield
• Pacific
• Pend Oreille
• Wahkiakum

Washington State Total Positive/Confirmed Cases: 4,896. WA Total Deaths: 195.

Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0
• Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

Grays Harbor

• Confirmed Positive: 1

Lewis County

• Confirmed Positive: 10

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 3

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates: click here. 

Financial Health

• The federal stimulus bill has just passed, and Employment Security Department Commissioner Suzi LeVine has a brief video on YouTube to explain some of the changes that benefit Washingtonians. Go to esd.wa.gov to sign up for COVID-19 action alerts so you can take action as things change and apply for benefits you are eligible for.
• The state’s coronavirus website has information to help sort through other benefits that may be available to you, such as paid family leave, workers compensation, and resources for small businesses. For more information, click here. 
• Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) has developed a list of resources that might help address the financial impacts of the coronavirus, including mortgage assistance, financial resources, and financial scams.
• The federal stimulus package included about $1,200 per person. This money has not been distributed yet, but some scammers are trying to take advantage of people. Remember—the government will not ask you to pay anything up front to get this money. No fees. No charges. No nothing. The government will not call to ask for your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card number. Anyone who does is a scammer.

March 29, 2020 Updates

There are 34 counties (Adams, Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Okanogan, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, Yakima) in WA State that have reported cases of COVID-19. 

WA Total Positive/Confirmed Cases: 4,310. WA Total Deaths: 189. For the latest numbers please click HERE or download the Additional Resources page.

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Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0
• Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

Grays Harbor

• Confirmed Positive: 1

Lewis County

• Confirmed Positive: 7

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 3 

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates: Click Here

Governor Inslee issues additional guidance on funerals and real estate transactions, letter to tribal governments

Gov. Jay Inslee announced additional guidance today related to the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy“ proclamation to slow the spread of COVID-19. Inslee also sent a government-to-government letter to Washington’s tribal communities. The announced additional guidance includes guidance on funerals and real estate transactions. Read the full letters below.

State, Federal government pushes funding to hospitals to support COVID-19 response

OLYMPIA – To support hospitals in preparing for an expected increase in COVID-19-related expenses, state and federal funding is being made available.

“Our hospitals—particularly smaller and rural hospitals—provide a safety net for vulnerable populations, and we must ensure they remain financially viable as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said HCA Director Sue Birch. “As they are asked to delay elective procedures and experience other unprecedented disruption to their work force and their operations, we continue thinking creatively about how we can provide the resources they need to serve Washingtonians with high-quality, dependable care.”

The dollars HCA is making available are either new funds or expedited existing funds, and include:

• Supplemental hospital payments to several rural health care facilities around the state. This payment is to assist them in their COVID-19 response, and comes from the state Disaster Response Account.
• Pay remaining fiscal year disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments for qualifying public hospitals, and eligible low-income and small rural hospitals. This expedites more than $46 million in funding to hospitals throughout the state.
• Pay remaining Critical Access Hospital Safety Net Assessment payments for state fiscal year 2020. This accelerates more than $2 million in state hospital safety net funding to 19 critical hospitals. Critical Access Hospitals are small hospitals in rural areas that serve residents that would otherwise be a long distance from emergency care.

In addition, Washington State worked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to design an expansion of its accelerated/advance payment program for Medicare participating health care providers and suppliers, such as hospitals.  CMS is expanding the program for all Medicare providers throughout the country during the public health emergency related to COVID-19.  The payments can be requested by hospitals, doctors, durable medical equipment suppliers and other Medicare Part A and Part B providers and suppliers.

March 28, 2020 Updates

There are 34 counties (Adams, Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Okanogan, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, Yakima) in WA State that have reported cases of COVID-19. Skamania County has been added to this list. 

WA Total Positive/Confirmed Cases: 3,723. WA Total Deaths: 175. For the latest numbers please click HERE or download the Additional Resources page.

Wellness Under Quarantine – COVID-19 Resources

The Washington State Counties Insurance Fund has provided a single-page documents with COVID-19 resources: Wellness Under Quarantine. This document contains resources including, but not limited to:

• Calming your anxiety
• Kids – A New Routine + Kids – Keeping Up with Education
• Gratitude in the face of COVID-19
• Vitamins and Minerals
• and more!

Open the PDF below to access these resources, or simply click here.  

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Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0
• Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

Grays Harbor

• Confirmed Positive: 1

Lewis County

• Confirmed Positive: 7

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 3 (not yet reported by Oregon Health Authority, but verified with Clatsop County Public Health)

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates: Click Here

Federal Stimulus Package

Governor Jay Inslee released a statement on the passage of a sweeping federal stimulus package to address the ongoing health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 emergency.

Summary of some allocations for Washington state:

• State Coronavirus Relief Fund: estimated $1.624 billion for Washington state (state share) and estimated $1.329 billion for WA local governments (local share) for a $2.953 billion total for Washington, out of $150 billion total;
• Child Care Development Block Grant: estimated $58.2 million for Washington out of $3.5 billion total;
• Community Services Block Grants for counties and cities to rapidly respond to the economic and housing impacts caused by COVID-19: estimated $11.8 million for Washington out of $1 billion total;
• Low Income Energy Assistance program: estimated $11.1 million for Washington out of $900 million total;
• Education Stabilization Fund, to help ensure K-12 schools and institutions of higher education can continue to serve students as they respond to the coronavirus crisis.
  • Education Stabilization Fund: estimated $56.6 million for Washington out of $2.953 billion
  • Elementary and Secondary Education: estimated $216.9 million for Washington out of $13.229 billion total.
• Hanford: Directions to the federal government to ensure tens of thousands of workers at the Hanford Nuclear Site and PNNL who cannot telework will continue to receive pay.

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Red Cross Blood Drives: URGENT NEED FOR DONATIONS! 

As of March 23, about 7,000 Red Cross blood drives have been canceled across the country due to coronavirus concerns, resulting in more than 200,000 fewer blood donations. We would like to encourage healthy, eligible individuals to give blood to prevent shortages.

Blood drives are not considered “mass gatherings.” Blood drives are controlled events with trained staff and appropriate safety measures to protect donors and recipients. Like a hospital, grocery store, or pharmacy, a blood drive is essential to ensuring the health of the community.

Maintaining an adequate blood supply is a challenge under normal circumstances. It’s even more challenging in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

Upcoming Dates/Locations in Pacific County:

April 8^th, 2020

• Elks Lodge #1292
• 326 3rd St
  Raymond, WA 98577

April 9^th, 2020

• Ilwaco High School
• 404 School Rd
• Ilwaco, WA 98624

For times and appointments: click here. 

Caring for Loved Ones

Many of us are worried about or trying to take care of loved ones who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19. Today we released guidance for taking care of someone who is at high risk or is already sick with respiratory illness. If you are caring for someone who is well now, but at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, there are some steps you can take now.

• Contact their health care provider to ask about getting extra necessary medications to have on hand in case you and your loved one need to stay home for a prolonged period of time. If you cannot get extra medications, consider using mail-order for medications. Ensure you have enough medical supplies (oxygen, incontinence, dialysis, wound care) and create a back-up plan for getting more.
• Make sure your loved one has non-perishable food items on hand.
• Determine who can care for your loved one if you become sick. Stay in touch with others by phone or email. You may need to ask for help from friends, family, neighbors, community health workers, etc. Create an emergency contact list.

We have also included in this guidance practical strategies to reduce your risk of getting sick while caring for someone even if you don’t have access to standard personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, gown).These strategies are not as good as using the standard equipment, but they may help to reduce your risk of getting sick, and are better than nothing. This guidance is available on the WA Department of Health website in 26 languages (under “Information for families caregiving for loved ones”).

March 27, 2020 Updates

There are 33 counties (Adams, Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Okanogan, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, Yakima) in WA State that have reported cases of COVID-19.

WA Total Positive/Confirmed Cases: 3,207. WA Total Deaths: 147. For the latest numbers please click HERE or download the Additional Resources page

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Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0
• Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

Grays Harbor

• Confirmed Positive: 1

Lewis County

• Confirmed Positive: 5

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 2

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates: Click Here

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Updated “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” Guidance for Construction

Gov. Jay Inslee announced new measures to combat COVID-19 and released additional guidance for construction in his order.

“Exception to the order allows for construction in the following limited circumstances:

1. a) Construction related to essential activities as described in the order;
2. b) To further a public purpose related to a public entity or governmental function or facility, including but not limited to publicly financed low-income housing; or
3. c) To prevent spoliation and avoid damage or unsafe conditions, and address emergency repairs at both non-essential businesses and residential structures. “

Please review attachment for construction guidance from the Pacific County Department of Community Development

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Red Cross Blood Drives: URGENT NEED FOR DONATIONS! 

As of March 23, about 7,000 Red Cross blood drives have been canceled across the country due to coronavirus concerns, resulting in more than 200,000 fewer blood donations. We would like to encourage healthy, eligible individuals to give blood to prevent shortages.

Blood drives are not considered “mass gatherings.” Blood drives are controlled events with trained staff and appropriate safety measures to protect donors and recipients. Like a hospital, grocery store, or pharmacy, a blood drive is essential to ensuring the health of the community.

Maintaining an adequate blood supply is a challenge under normal circumstances. It’s even more challenging in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

Upcoming Dates/Locations in Pacific County:

April 8^th, 2020:

• Elks Lodge #1292
• 326 3rd St Raymond, WA 98577

April 9^th, 2020

• Ilwaco Timberland Library
• 151 1st Ave N Ilwaco, WA 98624

For times and appointments: click here. 

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Press Release: Pacific County Tax Due Dates

For Immediate Release

March 25, 2020

Pacific County Treasurer’s Office

COVID-19 Virus 

County Treasurer Update

Due to these uncertain times, the Pacific County Treasurer’s Office is closed to the public until further notice. This decision was made to help protect the health of our customers, staff and community. We can still be reached by phone during normal business hours of 8am – 4:30pm. 

Under the authority of RCW 84.56.020(8), “During a state of emergency declared under RCW 43.06.010(12), the county treasurer, on his or her own motion or at the request of any taxpayer affected by the emergency, may grant extensions of the due date of any taxes payable under this section as the treasurer deems proper. So, along with the support of the County Commissioners, we will waive interest on your first half payment if postmarked by June 1st, 2020 and we will wave interest on your second half payment if postmarked by November 30th, 2020. Please note that this change in due date only affects 2020 tax payments and does not apply to any delinquent taxes. Past years will continue to accrue interest at 1% per month for the full amount of taxes and/or assessments owing. 

These changes are in response to the financial impacts the families and businesses in our county are enduring due to the COVID-19 virus. Also, to ensure that our county, hospital, schools, fire districts, emergency services, sheriff and all other junior districts have the necessary funding to continue serving our community, we would encourage property owners who are financially able to pay their first half or full year properly taxes early to do so. 

With our offices closed, there are several other ways to make a tax payment:

• A check, money order or cashier’s check can be mailed to PO Box 98, South Bend, WA 98586.
• Check payments can also be left in our drop box located at the South Bend office parking lot, across from the county jail. NO CASH PLEASE.
• Taxes can be paid online (with a transaction fee). The website is www.co.pacific.wa.us, select the Taxshifter link.
• Taxes can be paid by phone at 888-891-6064, option 1 using a credit card, Visa debit card or eCheck (with a transaction fee).

If you have questions regarding excise tax, please call us for processing information.

Please continue to check our website for updates. Thank you for your patience.

Be safe and be well.

Renee Goodin

Pacific County Treasurer. 

March 26, 2020 Updates

There are 33 counties (Adams, Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Okanogan, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, Yakima) in WA State that have reported cases of COVID-19. Ferry and Okanogan counties have been added to this list.

WA Total Positive/Confirmed Cases: 2,580. WA Total Deaths: 132. For the latest numbers please click HERE or download the Additional Resources page

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Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0 – Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

Grays Harbor

• Confirmed Positive: 1

Lewis County

• Confirmed Positive: 2

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 2 (not yet reported by Oregon Health Authority, but verified with Clatsop County Public Health)

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates: Click here. 

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State launches web form to clarify “essential” businesses under COVID-19 Stay Home, Stay Healthy proclamation

A simple online form and comprehensive resources are available at www.coronavirus.wa.gov to answer questions from businesses and individuals about their essential/non-essential status.

Camp Murray, WA – Washington state today launched an online form so businesses can get clarification or submit a request for inclusion as essential under Gov. Jay Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy proclamation. The proclamation goes into effect at midnight tonight, closing non-essential businesses for the next two weeks.

State officials continue to emphasize that the state COVID-19 web portal is the central location for the most current information and resources for businesses and individuals: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/business-workers.

Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy proclamation defines essential and non-essential businesses and workers related to the COVID-19 emergency response. People are encouraged to review the proclamation language carefully on what is open and what is closed for the next two weeks.

“This is a difficult time for all of us, and we recognize the hardship on many businesses and families,” said Commerce Director Lisa Brown. “As Governor Inslee said Monday night, we want to get back to normal as soon as possible, and to do that, we have to hit this hard. We are taking steps to relieve and mitigate the economic impacts of this action to the greatest extent possible.”

Brown underscored that this is for now a two-week closure, and state officials will be evaluating the situation as we move through the expected increase in numbers of people testing positive for COVID-19.

Inquiries from businesses about their essential/non-essential status are being reviewed as quickly as possible. For fastest response, businesses are urged to use the portal.

In response to widely-circulated rumors, state officials also want to be clear that no one needs to be registered on any list, and no one needs a letter or pass of any kind to continue moving about, conducting essential business and activities. Visit the portal’s Spread the facts page.

The COVID-19 portal at www.coronavirus.wa.gov will have the most current and accurate information.

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USDA Implements Immediate Measures to Help Rural Residents, Businesses and Communities Affected by COVID-19

USDA Rural Development has taken a number of immediate actions to help rural residents, businesses and communities affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Rural Development will keep our customers, partners, and stakeholders continuously updated as more actions are taken to better serve rural America.

Read the full announcement to learn more about the opportunities USDA Rural Development is implementing to provide immediate relief to our customers, partners, and stakeholders.

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WDFW Closes All Recreational Fishing & Shellfishing

Starting midnight on March 25, the Department of Fish and Wildlife is closing recreational fishing and shellfishing statewide in response to Governor Jay Inslee‘s order directing Washingtonians to stay home and stay healthy to limit the spread of coronavirus. All recreational fishing and shellfishing will be closed March 26th – April 8th.

More details HERE.

March 25, 2020 Updates

There are 31 counties (Adams, Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, Yakima) in WA State that have reported cases of COVID-19.

WA Total Positive/Confirmed Cases: 2,469. WA Total Deaths: 123. For the latest numbers please click HERE or download the Additional Resources page.

Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0
• Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

Grays Harbor

• Confirmed Positive: 1

Lewis County

Confirmed Positive: 2

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 1 

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates, click here.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

• Do I have COVID-19?
• Should I get tested?
• Can I get this from my pet?

Answers to these and many other questions can be found below. 

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WA State Parks are CLOSED for at least two weeks

Washington State Parks and Recreation and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the temporary closure of all state-managed parks, wildlife areas and water access areas for at least two weeks starting Wednesday, March 25. The closure is in response to Gov. Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order issued yesterday.

“It is not illegal to access public lands, however gates will be up and all facilities, like restrooms, will be closed,” Anna Gill, State Parks communications director, said. Essential staff will be present to preserve and protect resources. “Beaches are more complicated,” she said, regarding the state’s ocean beaches that are managed by State Parks. “From what I understand, counties have blocked road access, but as for Parks jurisdiction, it is the same as our parks.”

Camping and other overnight accommodations on state-managed recreation lands will remain closed through April 30.

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Washington State Essential Services

On March 23, 2020, Governor Inslee issued an Executive Order directing all residents immediately to heed current State health directives to stay home, except as needed to maintain continuity of operations of essential critical infrastructure and additional sectors as the State Public Officer may designate as critical to protect health and well-being of all Washingtonians.

Below is a downloadable PDF list of “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers.”

For individuals looking to clarify status, or petition to be added to the list of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers, please click HERE. You may also download the Washington State Business Re-Entry Registration Guide below.

March 24, 2020 Updates

There are now 31 counties (Adams, Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whiteman, Whatcom, Yakima) in WA State that have reported cases of COVID-19. Adams, Douglas and Whitman counties been added to this list.

WA Total Positive/Confirmed Cases: 2,221. WA Total Deaths: 110. For the latest numbers please click HERE or download the Additional Resources page.

Note: Pacific County Press Release with First Amendment Public Health Order (below). Update to initial order included changes under exceptions for hospitality lodging that shall not be considered to be a violation of this order.

Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0
• Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

Grays Harbor

• Confirmed Positive: 1

Lewis County

Confirmed Positive: 2

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 1 (not yet reported by Oregon Health Authority, but verified with Clatsop Public Health)

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates, click here.

Retired Navy Vice Admiral Raquel C. Bono will head Washington state COVID-19 health care response team

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Webinar for Clinicians: Underlying Medical Conditions and People at Higher Risk for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

We want to make you aware that the CDC’s Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) will be hosting a call for clinicians about Underlying Medical Conditions and People at Higher Risk for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, from 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. (EDT).  You can access the call information and learn more – click HERE.

During this COCA call, presenters will focus on current information about people who are at higher risk for COVID-19 complications because of their age or underlying medical conditions, particularly those that are not well-controlled.

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Volunteers Needed for COVID-19 Response Work

As Washington takes more steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 the Department of Health (DOH) will now enroll and activate emergency volunteer health care workers in preparation for health system requests and surging. This will help the state meet emerging demands for health care workers. Many profession types are needed to help in response efforts. Both Washington-licensed and out-of-state health care professionals can volunteer.

More information about participating in the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioner Act is available here.

FIRST AMENDMENT TO ORDER OF THE PACIFIC COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER CLOSURE OF PACIFIC COUNTY BEACH APPROACHES CLOSURE OF PACIFIC COUNTY BEACH APPROACHES

Changes to Original Order Highlighted

FIRST AMENDMENT TO ORDER OF THE PACIFIC COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER

CLOSURE OF PACIFIC COUNTY BEACH APPROACHES AND CLOSURE OF HOSPITALITY LODGING

DATE ORDER ISSUED: March 23, 2020

Please read this Order carefully. Violation of or failure to comply with this Order constitutes a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment up to ninety days, or both.

The virus that causes Coronavirus 2019 Disease (“COVID-19”) spreads easily from person to person and may result in serious illness or death, and it is essential that the spread of the virus be slowed to safeguard the public and protect healthcare resources. The Pacific County Health Officer (“Health Officer”) has determined that steps to limit gathering measures are now necessary in Pacific County (“County”) in light of the increasing scope and severity of the threat that COVID-19 poses. Although not yet confirmed in Pacific County, confirmed cases of infection and increasing instances of community spread in Washington State require the limitations in this Order. Accordingly,

UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF RCW 70.05.070 THE HEALTH OFFICER HEREBY ORDERS:

1. Effective immediately, as of 2:00 p.m. on March 22, 2020, and continuing until further notice, all beach approaches in Pacific County are closed. This is necessary to control and prevent the spread of a dangerous, contagious disease within the jurisdiction of the Pacific County Health Officer; to maintain health over the territory of this jurisdiction; and to promote the public health.
2. Effective immediately, as of 2:00 p.m. on March 22, 2020, and continuing until further notice, all hospitality lodging within the territorial boundaries of Pacific County is closed, with the following exceptions contained in paragraph 3 below. This is necessary to control and prevent the spread of a dangerous, contagious disease within the jurisdiction of the Pacific County Health Officer; to maintain health over the territory of this jurisdiction; and to promote the public health. “Hospitality lodging” includes:

1. 1. Resort, Hotels, Motels
   2. Short-term Rentals, Timeshares, Homestays (including Bed and Breakfast)
   3. Campgrounds
   4. RV Parks
   5. Private property being used as campgrounds.

3. Exceptions for hospitality lodging. It shall not be a violation of this order for hospitality lodging to remain open to the following:

1. 1. Any person who has resided in the hospitality lodging since March 17, 2020 or earlier.
   2. Any person employed in the hospitality lodging.
   3. Any person working directly on the COVID-19 response. This includes healthcare professionals; first responders; national guard; law enforcement; local, state and federal government employees; and other essential personnel responding to the COVID-19 emergency.
   4. Any person required by their employment to travel in Pacific County to provide services, shipping, or deliveries. This includes truck drivers and service providers.
   5. Any person paying for hospitality lodging with a voucher issued by, or direct payment by, a government or non-profit entity.
   6. Any person residing in hospitality lodging as a result of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, harassment, or otherwise as a result of being a victim of crime.
   7. Property owners, including if they reside on their property in travel trailers, RVs, mobile homes, or other housing. Pacific County is not prohibiting property owners from returning to their property located in Pacific County, even if the property owner has recently been residing outside of Pacific County.
   8. Long-term (more than 30-days) tenancies/rentals.
   9. Emergency shelters which operate free of charge to residents/guests.
   10. Quarantine and/or isolation facilities.
   11. Exceptions may also be approved in writing by the Public Health Officer or his designee for purposes necessary to assist in controlling or preventing the spread of COVID-19, or to promote the public health. Contact the Pacific County Emergency Operations Center to request an exception on weekdays from 8:00am-4:00pm at (360) 875-9407 or (360) 642-9407.

4. Copies of this Order shall promptly be: (1) Posted on the County Public Health Department website (https://pacificcountyhealthdepartment.com). (2) It is requested that the Washington State Parks as well as hospitality lodging entities post this Order on-site in a place viewable to the public, as well as on their website or social media platform.
5. If any subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this Order or any application of it to any person, structure, gathering, or circumstance is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Order.
6. The Health Officer will continue to assess this quickly evolving situation and may at any time modify, cancel, or extend this Order, or issue additional orders related to COVID-19.

PURSUANT TO RCW 70.05.070, THE HEALTH OFFICER REQUESTS THAT ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH AND ENFORCEMENT OF THIS ORDER.

IT IS SO ORDERED:

___________________

Steven Krager, MD, MPH Date: March 23, 2020

Pacific County Deputy Health Officer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 23^rd, 2020

Writer/Contact: Pat Matlock, Chief Criminal Deputy

Pacific County Sheriff’s Office

[email protected]

Pacific County Health Officer Issues First Amendment to Closure Order

South Bend, WA. – Pacific County Health Officer Dr. Steven Krager has enacted some changes to the original order of closure issued yesterday. The changes are categorized under exceptions for hospitality lodging that shall not be considered to be a violation of this order. You are encouraged to read the amended order to familiarize yourselves. A copy of the amended order is attached. For any questions or concerns, please contact the Pacific County Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The EOC is available on weekdays from 8:00am-4:00pm at (360) 875-9407 or (360) 642-9407.

Additionally, if you wish to report a violation of this order regarding the hospitality portion please call the Department of Community Development at (360) 875-9356 or (360) 642-9356. Please leave a message if calling after hours.

If you wish to report a violation of this order regarding the closure of the beach access portion, please call the Pacific County Communications Center at (360) 642-9397 or (360) 875-9397.

SAMHSA’s COVID-19 Guidance and Resources

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recognizes the challenges posed by the current COVID-19 situation and is providing the following guidance and resources to assist individuals, providers, communities, and states across the country.  This page can be found at samhsa.gov/coronavirus.  Please check for new updates.

La Administración de Servicios de Abuso de Sustancias y Salud Mental (SAMHSA) reconoce los desafíos por la situación actual de COVID-19 y está proporcionando que siguen la guía y recursos para ayudar a las personas, proveedores, comunidades y estados en todo el país. Esta página se puede encontrar en samhsa.gov/coronavirus. Por favor, chequen por nuevos anuncios.

March 23, 2020 Updates

There are now 28 counties (Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Yakima) in WA State that have reported cases of COVID-19. Walla Walla County has been added to this list.

WA Total Positive/Confirmed Cases: 1,996. WA Total Deaths: 95. For the latest numbers please click HERE or download the Additional Resources page.

Pacific County Press Release with Public Health Order (picture):

Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0
• Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

Grays Harbor

• Confirmed Positive: 1

Lewis County

Confirmed Positive: 2

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 0

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates, click here.

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WA Major Disaster Declaration Approved by President Trump

President Trump approved a major disaster declaration for Washington state today, 3/22/2020.

In response, Governor Inslee issued a statement.

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USNS Mercy No Longer Headed for WA

President Trump announced today that the USNS Mercy will not be sent to Washington state.

The Governor tweeted today that while disappointed with the news, he appreciates the federal field hospitals that will be sent to WA.

We will continue working to get the resources necessary to care for Washingtonians.

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Camping on WA State lands to close through April 30

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Department of Natural Resources announced today the closure of all state campgrounds across Washington to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Campgrounds will remain closed through April 30. Day use areas and trails remain open.

Of note: Oregon State Parks will close tomorrow, March 23 through at least until May 8.

Read the full message from Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept Director Lisa Sumption here:

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WA DOH Recommended Guidance / Updated Guidance (also available on DOH Website)

Recommended Guidance for Daily COVID-19 Screening of Employees and Visitors (PDF)

Return to Work Guidance for healthcare workers (HCWs) and first responders (FRs) who have Confirmed COVID-19 Infection or are asymptomatic with High or Medium Risk Exposures* to a known case of COVID-19 (PDF) – Updated 3/20/2020

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Stay Home to Conserve Hospital Resources

Over the last three weeks, we’ve seen a sharp increase in the number of people hospitalized for fever and respiratory symptoms. This week, we saw an increase in the number of adults hospitalized for pneumonia—more even than in the peak of the flu season last year. There are only so many hospital beds. Already, hospitals are postponing elective surgeries so that there is more room for people who get very sick from COVID-19 or who need hospital care for other, unrelated things like heart attacks or injuries. It is so important that we stay home and away from other people. We must stop the spread of COVID-19 before we have more people needing care than we have hospital beds to put them in.

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Vroom!

While you are at home, are there young kids in your life who you could reach out to? Babies are born ready to learn. And you have what it takes to help them! Even a few minutes count!

Have you checked out www.Vroom.org?

Here’s a great tip from Vroom: Take a minute today to watch your child. Pay attention to what they look at. How do they move? What do they sound like? What are they learning? Even when you’re busy, responding to what they are learning deepens your connection with them.

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Practice Compassion

Disease outbreaks bring feelings of helplessness and worry.

Social distancing is absolutely necessary right now to protect ourselves and the people we love.

The Department of Health published a blog today to address this important topic.

Press Release: All Pacific County Beach Approaches + Hospitality Lodging CLOSED – March 22, 2020.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 22, 2020

Writer/Contact: Pat Matlock, Chief Criminal Deputy

Pacific County Sheriff’s Office

[email protected]

South Bend, WA. – Effective immediately and continuing until further notice, all ocean beach approaches and hospitality lodging within Pacific County will be closed. This decision was made as a necessity to help control and prevent the spread of the dangerous and contagious COVID-19 disease. Pacific County Health Officer Dr. Steven Krager has determined that additional steps are now needed to limit gathering measures in light of the increasing scope and severity of the threat that COVID-19 poses.

Although we have zero confirmed COVID-19 cases within Pacific County, confirmed cases of infection and increasing instances of the infection spreading within other areas of Washington State warrant this order. Dr. Krager’s order was fully 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.

While this order will hopefully be temporary and will most certainly disrupt the daily mainstream of each respective jurisdiction’s operations, it is the hope of each jurisdiction that people are understanding and supportive of this decision. Once this 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 of closure is listed below. Please review the order for further information.

March 22, 2020 Updates

There are now 27 counties (Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Whatcom, Yakima) in WA State that have reported cases of COVID-19.

San Juan and Stevens counties have been added to this list.

he latest numbers please click HERE or download the Additional Resources page.

Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0
• Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

Grays Harbor

• Confirmed Positive: 1

Lewis County

Confirmed Positive: 2

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 0

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates, click here.

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Gov Inslee Stresses “Stay home,” but No “Stay at home” Order yet . . .

Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday expressed concern that some residents are not following his mandates to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and prevent “significant loss of life of the people we love in the state of Washington.”

“Although I laid out orders … for people to stop eating in restaurants and going to bars and other gathering places, and put limits on large gatherings, we are still seeing people ignoring both of these orders and common sense about what it takes to protect our loved ones,” he said.

“If people continue to ignore this common-sense provision, I will go farther to protect 7 million Washingtonians. So I am asking you — and you may say I am pleading with you — to stay home unless it is necessary for you to go out. I am asking both businesses and individuals to accomplish this,” Inslee added.

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WA Governor Requests Federal Major Disaster Declaration

On March 20, Governor Inslee sent a letter to President Trump to request a federal major disaster declaration. “The state urgently requires additional supplemental federal emergency assistance in order to save lives, protect public health and safety, and limit further spread of the disease,” Inslee said. A major disaster declaration approves federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic beginning on January 20, 2020, and continuing. So far, President Trump has only declared that a major disaster exists in the State of New York.

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Department of Health Releases Personal Protective Equipment Distribution Guidelines

Personal protective equipment is a scarce resource that is difficult to procure statewide, nationally, and internationally. The state’s prioritization list does not guarantee that every order that meets the priority criteria will be fulfilled, and it does not ensure that complete orders will be fulfilled. The DOH Secretary of Health, State Health Officer, or Unified Command may modify the criteria based on emerging response

needs.

• The first tier of recipients is long-term care facilities with confirmed COVID-19 cases, hospitals with the greatest number of confirmed cases, emergency medical services and first responders who are asked to transport confirmed patients, and health care workers supporting long-term care facilities with confirmed cases.
• The second tier of recipients comprises health care facilities with fewer confirmed cases, congregate locations with confirmed cases (such as jails, shelters or dormitories), other EMS services, and Department of Health-run isolation and quarantine facilities.
• The third tier of recipients is quarantine and isolation facilities run by other jurisdictions, followed by skilled nursing facilities, other health care facilities, and outpatient facilities.
• The fourth tier of recipients is homeless shelters and other congregate locations, and family members of confirmed cases who are at home.

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Pandemic Stress

Disease outbreaks bring feelings of overwhelm, helplessness and worry. Social distancing is absolutely necessary right now to protect ourselves and people we love. And it comes with a cost. It is massively disruptive to our lives and it takes away many of the usual outlets we have for blowing off steam—gyms are closed, bars and restaurants are closed, social media is an incessant reminder of the pandemic. If you have a chronic disease or deal with depression and anxiety on a daily basis, you may be especially stressed right now. And, remember, those helping with the response efforts – nurses, doctors, first responders – are doing so while also worrying about their own health, and their families.

So what can we do to cope during this public health emergency?

1. Connect! It’s our relationships that will see us through this. Find a way to invest in those important relationships from at least 6 feet away. Skype, Facetime, Zoom or just talk on the phone. Video-chatting is fun! You feel like a techno-wiz and you can see your friend and their pets and kids and make each other smile!
2. Take care of yourself. The old fashioned way—with nourishing foods, lots of sleep, deep breaths, and exercise. Exercise is especially good for your mental health. Unplug from social media. You know, after you’re done reading this.
3. Focus on anything else. Clean, cook, garden, sing, play games, create, read, write. Do whatever it takes to allow your mind to focus on the parts of your life that bring you energy and joy!
4. Know when to call for help. If you continue to feel overwhelmed and struggle to get through the day, call your health care provider, therapist or mental health provider and set up a telemedicine appointment.

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Don’t we have any good news?

A little! China’s greenhouse gas emissions were down 25% in the last month. The skies in Wuhan are blue. The lack of boat traffic on the canals in Venice has improved the air quality and allowed the sediment in the water to settle. The water in the canals is clear and you can see fish. The carbon monoxide emissions in New York City are down 50% compared to last year this time. Let’s pay attention to what the world looks like when we prioritize the health of our communities, and, when all this is over, let’s come back to the world gently.

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Practice Compassion

Coronavirus is an international pandemic.

It belongs to the whole world now. Calling COVID-19 the “Chinese virus” or anything else that references China is inappropriate and divisive.

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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides guidance and resources…

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recognizes the challenges posed by the current COVID-19 situation and is providing the following guidance and resources to assist individuals, providers, communities, and states across the country. 

This page can be found at samhsa.gov/coronavirus.  Please check for new updates.

March 21, 2020 Updates

There are now 25 counties in WA state that have reported cases of COVID-19. Cowlitz County has been added to this list. (Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom, Yakima).

The latest numbers please click HERE or download the Additional Resources page.

Pacific County

• Confirmed Positive: 0
• Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0

Neighboring WA/OR Counties

• Grays Harbor
• Confirmed Positive: 0

Lewis County

• Confirmed Positive: 1

Wahkiakum

• Confirmed Positive: 0

Clatsop County

• Confirmed Positive: 0

For Oregon COVID-19 Updates, click here.

 

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What to do if you are ill

If you are ill with fever and a cough or shortness of breath, stay home. If you are unsure of how to care for yourself or are concerned about your condition, call your health care provider for advice. If you feel you need to visit your doctor, call them first. Keep yourself separated from other people and animals in your home. Cover your coughs and sneezes and wash your hands often.

Washington State Department of Health: Information on Getting Tested

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Governor Inslee has amended Proclamation 20-05. 

Non-urgent dental and medical procedures (with some exceptions) are now restricted.

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Walsh hosts emergency telephone town hall to answer questions on coronavirus response:

Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, invites 19th District constituents to join him for an emergency telephone town hall meeting to answer questions and address concerns about the state’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) on Monday, March 23.

The community conversation, which is similar to a call-in radio show, begins at 6 p.m. To participate, constituents can call anytime during the hour-long program.

What: Telephone Town Hall hosted by Rep. Jim Walsh

When: Monday, March 23, 6 to 7 p.m.

Dial:  (360) 209-6593. Press * (star key) to ask a question.

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Washington Counties Now Eligible for Disaster Loans From the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering designated states and territories low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Upon a request received from a state’s or territory’s Governor, SBA will issue under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by the President, an Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration.

For more information click HERE.

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Get and spread reliable information on COVID-19
Fight stigma, public panic, and misinformation by getting your information from trusted sources. Listen to guidance from Washington State, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and your local health department. Additional resource links at the top of the SITREP.

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A weekend at home

Let’s take some time during this quiet weekend at home to take care of ourselves and connect with our loved ones. Unplug, replenish your energy, and engage! Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Dance party! Try listening to your favorite music, exploring new singers and genres, singing out loud, and dancing to the beat by yourself or with loved ones.
• Are you crafty? Would you like to be? Take out your knitting, sewing, painting, and other crafty projects! And share the love! Can you teach a friend to crochet over Skype?
• Play board games. There’s nothing like a fun board game to get us laughing and engaged. Monopoly, checkers, chess, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit. Just be sure to call an end to the fun before it devolves into a brawl.
• Walk. Take a stroll outside. Hike on your favorite nature trail. Wave to your fellow walkers from a safe distance.
• Garden. We are at a perfect time to begin to plan our gardens for the spring and summer. A vegetable garden is great exercise and, eventually, helps you eat more vegetables.
• Watch spring unfold. Of course, nature doesn’t need a garden to grow. Choose a tree or flower to watch each day as spring nears. Watch how the leaves grow and blossoms unfold. If you have children, teach them to measure the growth with a ruler, or have them take pictures.

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Practice Compassion

Thank someone who has to go to work—a health care worker, grocery store employee—anyone who is unable to stay safe at home.

They are putting themselves at risk to keep us happy, fed, and healthy.

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No Forced Quarantine in Pacific County – March 20, 2020 Update

Pacific County Health & Human Services has received reports that some local private entities and individuals may have posted false or misleading notices regarding forced quarantine of others.

At this time, there is NO SUCH RECOMMENDATION OR ORDER in place from the State of Washington or Pacific County for mandatory quarantine.  We will continue to follow the recommendations and mandates issued by Governor Inslee, and update the public if there is any change.

If you hear rumors or see evidence regarding a forced quarantine directed by any individual or entity other than Pacific County or the State of Washington, or if you are not sure if a directive was issued by the appropriate authority, please report it to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at (360) 875-9407 (North County) or (360) 642-9407 (South County).

El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos del Condado del Pacifico ha recibido informes de que algunas personas y organizaciones locales privadas pueden haber publicado avisos falsos o engañosos con respecto a la cuarentena forzada de otros.

En este momento, NO HAY TAL RECOMENDACIÓN NI ORDEN en el estado de Washington o en el Condado del Pacífico para la cuarentena obligatoria. Continuaremos siguiendo las recomendaciones y mandatos anunciados por el Gobernador Inslee, estaremos informando al público si hay recientes cambios.

Si escucha rumores o ve evidencia con respecto a una cuarentena forzada dirigida por cualquier persona o organización que no sea del Condado de Pacifico o el Estado de Washington, o si no está seguro de la información. Por favor repórtenlo y comuníquese con la oficina de Operaciones Centro de Emergencia (EOC) al (360) 875-9407 (Condado del Norte) o (360) 642-9407 (Condado del Sur).

March 20, 2020 Updates

There are now 24 counties in WA state that have reported cases of COVID-19. Benton County and Blallam County have been added to this list. (Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom, Yakima).

The latest numbers please click HERE or download the Additional Resources page.

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2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Pacific County

Confirmed Positive: 0

Presumed Positive (initial test positive, requires confirmation): 0

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DOH Update: COVID-19 Testing supplies, Testing Update, Personal Protective Equipment

Responding to requests for more COVID-19 testing from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health John Wiesman, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services delivered 8,000 additional sample collection test kits on Thursday, along with supplies of the protective equipment needed to conduct the tests.

• These additional resources are vital to supporting Washington’s COVID-19 response, and we thank our federal partners for their efforts.
• The Washington State Department of Health is working to distribute the new supplies to local health agencies in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties – the areas hardest hit by the COVID-19 virus thus far.
• These additional test kits are intended to increase capacity for testing of high-risk populations, including elderly people, those with pre-existing conditions, and the health care providers and first responders who are caring for others during this crisis.
• FEMA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plan to provide additional test kits and related equipment to Washington state as these materials become available.

Statewide Testing Update

• Even with these new federal resources, limited testing supplies continue to be a significant issue for the COVID-19 response. Here are the other actions Washington is taking to increase testing capacity:
  • The State Public Health Lab brought additional testing equipment online on March 8 and continues to increase testing capacity. As of Saturday, March 14, the lab can test more than 200 samples each day with a 48-hour turnaround time. The State Lab’s goal is to test 400 samples a day. The Centers for Disease Control recently updated its guidance to recommend testing only one sample per person, which will increase to number of people that can be tested.
  • The University of Washington Virology Lab and commercial laboratories are able to perform COVID-19 testing as well.
• As of 3 p.m. March 19, 20,742 individuals have been tested for COVID-19 in Washington state, with 1,376 positive tests, meaning the person has the virus.

Personal Protective Equipment

• Washington state continues to work to procure additional personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care providers:
  • The Department of Health has requested and received two orders of PPE from the Strategic National Stockpile. On March 6, the federal government delivered 233,000 N-95 respirators and 200,000 surgical masks, as well as face shields, gowns and gloves. On March 12, the federal government delivered 129,000 N-95 respirators and 308,000 surgical masks, as well as face shields, gowns and gloves.
  • On March 13, the Department of Health requested an additional 64,690 N-95 respirators; 154,103 surgical masks; 29,344 face shields; and 23,925 gowns. As of March 19, this request is still awaiting approval.

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To Beat COVID-19, Social Distancing is a Must

“Social distancing remains one of the best weapons we have to slow the silent spread of this virus and flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic. This will give our health-care professionals, hospitals, and other institutions more valuable time to prepare, protect themselves, and aid the many people whose lives may be on the line from this coronavirus.

Importantly, saving lives from COVID-19 requires all of us—young, old and in-between—to take part. Healthy young people, whose risk of dying from coronavirus is not zero but quite low, might argue that they shouldn’t be constrained by social distancing. However, the research highlighted here demonstrates that such individuals are often the unwitting vector for a dangerous virus that can do great harm—and even take the lives of older and more vulnerable people. Think about your grandparents. Then skip the big gathering. We are all in this together.”

Full article HERE

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Long-term care waivers

“The state is doing a number of things to ease pressure on the long-term care system, especially nursing homes. This involves suspending rules around nursing home assessment requirements to allow for faster admissions, and suspending long term care inspections and surveys on particular timelines except in specific circumstances.”

For more COVID-19 related information, please see DDA Coronavirus Information Page .

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Can I get COVID-19 from opening mail or packages?

COVID-19 is mostly spread person to person, which is why we are socially distancing ourselves and staying at least six feet away from each other.

The virus can live on hard surfaces for a while, but would be very unlikely to live on paper or cardboard for long enough to infect you through the mail.

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Practice Compassion

Check in on your most extroverted friends!

We all need to stay home as much as possible, and some of us need a bit more support in this than others!

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March 19, 2020: Clam digging is CLOSED in Pacific County

Press Release: Health Officer Orders Cancellation of Clam Digging in Pacific County Until Further Notice

{South Bend, WA March 19, 2020} On Thursday, March 19, 2020, the Pacific County Deputy Health Officer (“Deputy Health Officer”), Dr. Steven Krager, ordered that all clam digs in Pacific County, Washington be cancelled until further notice in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-

1. The prohibition on clam digging in Pacific County is in effect as of 12:01 AM on March 20, 2020 per the Health Officer’s Order, and remains in effect until further notice.

The Deputy Health Officer has determined that this step is now necessary in Pacific County in light of the increasing scope and severity of the threat that COVID-19 poses. Although no cases are confirmed in Pacific County at this time, the increasing instances of community spread in Washington State have influenced the decision.

1. Summary of the Deputy Health Officer’s Order

The Deputy Health Officer issued an Order prohibiting clam digging in Pacific County to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 due to: (a) the increased likelihood that gatherings will attract people from a broad geographic area; (b) the prolonged time period in which large numbers of people are in close proximity; (c) the difficulty in tracing exposure when large numbers of people attend a single event; (d) the inability to ensure that attendees follow adequate hygienic and social distancing practices; and (e) the potential impact on community resources including food, pharmaceutical supplies, and healthcare resources.

For the purposes of the Order, “COVID-19 risk mitigation measures” include all of the following: (a) The space in which a permissible gathering is held must accommodate social distancing by allowing all attendees to stand or sit at least six feet from any other attendee; and

• Proper hand hygiene and sanitation material must be readily available to all persons at all times, including soap and water, tissues, and waste receptacles (if soap and water are not available, alcohol-based hand sanitizer may be used).

2. Pacific County Recommendations

This Order does not ban access to public beaches. However, as a reminder, Pacific County recommends that people at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 stay home as much as possible. This includes individuals over age 60, and/or those with serious, chronic medical conditions (diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, or those who have weakened immune systems, etc.).

Anyone who has questions about whether their condition puts them at risk for COVID-19 should contact their primary healthcare provider or an appropriate medical practitioner.

Pacific County also recommends everyone take steps to keep themselves and others healthy, including:

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
  • Cover coughs and sneezes. Use a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
  • Stay home and away from others when sick.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are frequently touched.

Pacific County will continue to update the public with information pertinent to COVID-19 as soon as it is available.

March 19, 2020 Updates

There are now 22 counties (Chelan, Clark, Columbia, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom, Yakima) in WA State that have reported cases of COVID-19. MASON and FRANKLIN counties have been added to this list.

For the latest numbers please visit DOH’s webpage by clicking HERE or download the Additional Resources page.

Press Release: CLOSURE ENFORCEMENT

South Bend, WA – The Pacific County Emergency Operations Center announced today that the Pacific County Department of Community Development will be the initial agency for investigating reports of businesses operating in violation of Governor Jay Inslee’s executive orders pertaining to social distancing. Anyone wishing to report a business violating these restrictions should contact the Department of Community Development at either (360) 875-9356 or (360) 642-9382. Governor Inslee’s orders were effective at midnight on March 17, 2020 and extend through March 31, 2020. Reports may be filed at the numbers listed above. You may also email Shawn Humphreys at .

COVID-19 and Razor Clam Digging

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) recognizes that we are facing extraordinary times and urges all Washington citizens to take extra precautions to keep yourself, your family and the entire community of Washington healthy.  Razor clam digs typically bring visitors from throughout Washington. We recognize that travel at this time should be done with great deliberation for your health, and the health of the receiving community.  In the course of considering this dig, we consulted with county health officials in both Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties. We also consulted with the Washington Department of Health and the Governor’s office to determine if this clam opener should proceed. Based on the determinations of local and state government, we will continue to offer this outdoor activity.

In offering this activity, we ask that you to follow WDOH guidelines.  In particular:

• Do not travel if you are sick, someone in your household is sick or you have conditions that put you at higher risk.
  • Symptoms or not, please also practice good personal hygiene and maintain “social distancing” of at least six feet while on the beach. 

Inslee announces relief for business, workers, tenants and more in response to COVID-19

Gov. Jay Inslee today announced substantial measures for Washington state businesses and workers, as well as renters and other residents who may struggle financially to pay utility bills while dealing with loss of income during the COVID-19 outbreak. This is in addition to the state support for workers and businesses, and the state financial, export, insurance and unemployment assistance that has already been made available.

“These are unprecedented times,” Inslee said. “We must do everything we can to support the resiliency of Washington workers and employers.”

For detailed information on these sweeping measures, read the governor’s Medium page.

In addition, please recognize that these small towns need the grocery stores to remain stocked for local residents.  So please be judicious in purchasing what is needed for your time at the beach. Restaurants and bars are closed at this time, so please make sure you have brought the provisions you will need to enjoy your day.   

Please visit WDFW COVID-19 Updates for more information.

Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPI) are a significant strategy for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pacific and Wahkiakum Superior Courts: Order 2020-1: Summary of Limited Operations

All regularly scheduled dockets (civil and criminal) are suspended through April 30, 2020. 

All trials and hearings have been struck.

Criminal trials/hearings will be rescheduled by the Court and Clerk’s Office.

Parties and attorneys involved in civil hearings will need to reschedule to a date after April 30, 2020. 

Criminal matters: Court will continue to hear in-custody matters, 1st appearances, ARR, plea and sentence, etc., at 1 pm each day, or contact Court Administration to schedule other urgent hearings. Defense counsel may appear by phone.

Civil emergency hearings, such as, civil protection order hearings, may be also be set on the 1 pm docket or other such time as set by the Court or scheduled through Court Administration. Parties that must appear for emergency hearings during this time are asked to minimize the number of people brought to the hearing. 

Agreed orders can be presented for ex parte presentation to the Judge, please contact Court Administration for instruction. Ex parte fees are waived until April 30, 2020.

Questions – who to Contact:

• Civil matters: if you are currently scheduled for a trial or hearing in front of a judge, contact your attorney or Court Administration, 360-875-9328.
• Criminal matters: your attorney.
• Jurors call the Clerk’s Office, 360-875-9320

Updated Child Care Guidance

Many parents are trying to find child care options for their children since the Governor ordered the closure of all Washington schools to increase social distancing measures to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. As much as you can, please try to keep your children at home and postpone play dates for a while. If this is not possible for your family, many child care facilities remain open. We have information on our website to help child care facilities keep kids and families safe from COVID-19. We are asking child care facilities to increase social distancing and maintain their cleaning and disinfection procedures.

Dental Provider Guidance

Dental Providers are urged to postpone elective and non-essential procedures to minimize COVID-19 transmission in the dental care setting.

COVID-19 Health Alert for Dental Provider  document provides background information and resources on actions that need to be taken into consideration during COVID-19 pandemic.

Is it true that if you gargle, take a deep breathe, and drink water you can keep yourself from getting coronavirus?

No. We can all use a good deep breath and a drink of water right now, but there is a lot of misinformation on social media. You can find good information from the Pacific County Health Department, Washington State Department of Health website, the CDC, and the World Health Organization. The best way to keep yourself and others from getting COVID-19 is to stay home as much as possible, wash your hands frequently, and don’t touch your face.

WA DOH Question and Response: Are we still short on health care supplies?

Yes. There continues to be a worldwide shortage of the masks, gloves, and gowns that keep health care safe for patients and providers. We are working with the federal government to increase our supply of masks, gowns, and gloves available to health care workers.

As of March 16, the DOH warehouse had 23% of the surgical masks that were needed to fill the requests received the previous week, and 67% of the gowns needed to fill the requests from that same time period.

Pacific County Resource Requestors: Now is the time to get your resource requests (Form 213RR) to the EOC. Call/email our EOC Logistics at [email protected]

Practice Compassion

COVID-19 is a worldwide pandemic. There is no part of the world that is not affected. There are people in all 50 states who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. It is now up to each of us to keep ourselves and our communities safe.

March 18, 2020 Updates

UPDATED PHONE NUMBERS: To contact Pacific County’s Emergency Operations Center with COVID-19 related questions, please call (360) 875-9407 (North County) or (360) 642-9407.

COVID-19 UPDATES as of March 17, 2020, 11:59pm……

There are now 20 counties (Chelan, Clark, Columbia, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom, Yakima) in WA State that have reported cases of COVID-19. Klickitat is the newest county with reported cases of COIVD-19.
For the latest numbers please visit DOH’s webpage by clicking HERE or download the Additional Resources page.

Gov. Jay Inslee signed a package of five COVID-19 related bills into law today to boost the statewide response to the recent outbreak.

Following the first COVID-19-related death in our state in late February, Inslee declared a state of emergency in response. The emergency proclamation directed state agencies to use all resources necessary to prepare for and respond to the outbreak. These bills secure additional funding for the state’s effort to mitigate the virus’ spread.

“I’d like to thank all Washingtonians for stepping up in the fight against this virus,” Inslee said. “People are making tremendous sacrifices to slow the spread. These bills will help ensure that our state has resources to help. I thank the Legislature for their unanimous, bipartisan support to provide necessary funding.”

Inslee signed the bills in Olympia with media and the public watching via streaming video and telephone to practice social distancing measures.

For a breakdown of each bill, and more on other emergency proclamations the governor detailed to the media following today’s bill signings, read our post on Medium.
For more information about state resources available to the public in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, visit the governor’s coronavirus resource page.

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Governor Jay Inslee Limits Visitors at Long-Term Care Facilities during COVID-19 Outbreak
In order to stop the spread of the virus, Governor Jay Inslee announced that visitors will not be allowed at all long-term care facilities including Residential Habilitation Centers, State-Operated Living Alternatives, Adult Family Homes, and Assisted Living Facilities among others. This decision, like the one Governor Inslee made to close schools statewide, was not an easy one.

We understand that visitors mean everything to our clients but because of the ease of spread of COVID-19, especially in long-term care settings, however we need to ensure the health of our clients and staff and reducing the amount of people who come and go from our long-term care facilities is another step we can take to keep everyone safe.

This situation is very fluid and so we are still working on seeing if we have opportunities to provide alternative visitation such as video conferencing, etc.
We appreciate your understanding and support during this time. We will update you as the situation evolves.

For up-to-date facts, figures and guidance on COVID-19 please visit DOH’s webpage by clicking HERE or download the Additional Page

For more DDA COVID-19 related information, please click HERE.

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WA DOH: To help conserve masks and to help keep us all home, we are asking all health care facilities to cancel or postpone visits that can be postponed.

We have a worldwide shortage of the masks, gowns, and gloves that keep health care safe for us and for our health care providers. And we all need to stay home as much as possible right now to stop the spread of COVID-19. To help conserve masks and to help keep us all home, we are asking all health care facilities to cancel or postpone visits that can be postponed. This includes routine dental visits, adult annual exams, and routine screenings.

If you are not sure whether your upcoming appointment can be postponed or perhaps done over the phone, call the clinic to check before you go.

If you are having a dental emergency (like you are in pain) please go to your regular dental clinic, not an emergency room.

Keep taking the little ones in for their immunizations! And please remember to reschedule those important wellness visits when this crisis is over!

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The National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (NCTRC) webinar to explore further uses and benefits of telehealth during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Telehealth can be a means to address COVID-19 through patient monitoring, treating and limiting exposure to infection for vulnerable populations, and protecting health care workers. Telehealth cannot only expand the reach of services to communities that have limited access to needed services, but also provide minimize exposure for both the health worker and patients who are at high risk for infection. This allows patients to receive health services away from settings where potential for contracting COVID-19 are high, such as hospitals and waiting rooms.

Join the NCTRC this Thursday, March 19th for an informative webinar. Please share with your colleagues.
To register for this webinar go, click HERE.

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Emergency Refill Rule in Effect:

Based on the Governor’s emergency proclamation for the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Health and the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission have put into effect WAC 246-869-105.

This rule allows a pharmacist, among other things, to grant an emergency refill of an expired prescription for up to a seventy-two hour supply for medications that are not maintenance medications, and a thirty-day supply for a maintenance medication if the pharmacist is unable to obtain refill authorization from the prescriber.

Please refer to the rule for requirements, and prescriber notification when applicable.

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WBH Mobile Crisis Team is now connected to a National “warm line” (1.800.698.2392), please see the information below:

– This is a national hotline that is able to be utilized by anyone, as needed
– Contact can be done as often as they want – can be daily / weekly / monthly
– This can be used to ‘just talk’ with someone – doesn’t have to be crisis related
– Staff are able to deal with any crisis discussed by client, they typically attempt to ‘talk down’ the client, but are able to transfer if call is to high risk.
– Caller also has option to leave message and staff will call back. Call back is typically done 10-30 after message left, depending on availability of staff.

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If I see a restaurant, bar, or facility ignoring the Governor’s mandate, what should I do?

You should go home. Of course, so should all the rest of those people, but at this time, we don’t have a good phone number for you to call to report violators.

Just do your part to stay home and protect the community!

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Practice Compassion: We are all feeling a bit unsettled with these disruptions to normal life. Remember, even if you are isolated right now, you are not alone!

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Pacific County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Level 1 Activation in Response to COVID-19.

The Pacific County EOC Hotline will be open from 8:00am to 4:00 p.m. to answer questions from the public about COVID-19. The call center number is 360-875-9407 or 360-642-9407 (updated 3.18.20, 12:19pm)

Below is a PDF of trusted resources for COVID-19 information:

*Pacific County Emergency Operations Center Hotline is available to the public, Monday – Friday, 8:00am-4:00pm: 360-875-3407 or 360-642-3407

March 17, 2020 Press Release

PACIFIC COUNTY REINFORCES SOCIAL DISTANCING DIRECTIVE FROM GOVERNOR INSLEE

Following direction from the governor, the County encourages social distancing to protect public health.

{South Bend, WA}  On Monday, March 16, Governor Jay Inslee ordered the closure of bars and restaurants, as well as entertainment and recreational facilities. This is an expansion of an earlier order prohibiting social gatherings of 50 or more people.  Gatherings of less than 50 people are also prohibited, unless the Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) criteria for public health and social distancing standards are met. The CDC guidelines for social distancing are to stay at least six feet away from other people, and avoid handshakes and hugs.

1. Summary of Governor’s Proclamation

The Governor’s proclamation is a two-week ban and includes, but is not limited to:

• Restaurants;
• Food courts;
• Bars;
• Taverns;
• Coffee shops;
• Catered events;
• Clubs;
• Bowling alleys;
• All other similar venues in which people congregate for the consumption of food or beverages.

Take-out, delivery and drive-thru food and beverage services are not banned under the proclamation. Grocery stores and pharmacies remain open. Social distancing is encouraged in public places.

In addition, the two-week ban also includes public venues in which people congregate for entertainment, social or recreational purposes, including theaters, gyms, fitness centers, non-tribal card rooms, barbershops and hair/nail salons, tattoo parlors, and other similar venues.

See Proclamation 20-13 for more information.

1. Pacific County Recommendations

Pacific County recommends that people at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 stay home as much as possible.  This includes individuals over age 60, and/or those with serious, chronic medical conditions (diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, or those who have weakened immune systems, etc.).

Anyone who has questions about whether their condition puts them at risk for COVID-19 should contact their primary healthcare provider or an appropriate medical practitioner.

Pacific County also recommends everyone take steps to keep themselves and others healthy, including:

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Cover coughs and sneezes. Use a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
• Stay home and away from others when sick.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are frequently touched.

Pacific County will continue to update the public with information pertinent to COVID-19 as soon as it is available.

For more information, or to schedule an interview with Benjamin Haslam, please contact the Direct Response line at (360) 875-3407 / (360) 642-3407 or [email protected]

March 16, 2020 Update

Pacific County Emergency Operations Center Level 1 Activation

On Tuesday March 17, 2020, the Pacific County Emergency Management Agency will activate to Level 1 (Full Activation) in response to the Covid-19 outbreak. Pacific County currently has no active cases of Covid-19, however, it is imperative that Pacific County stay ahead of the curve in regards to both the health impacts to the community and the economic and social impacts of the non-pharmaceutical interventions put forth by Governor Inslee in his executive orders on Friday and Monday.

March 15, 2020 Press Release

INSLEE STATEMENT ON STATEWIDE SHUTDOWN OF RESTAURANTS, BARS AND LIMITS ON SIZE OF GATHERINGS EXPANDED:

Gov. Jay Inslee released a statement tonight that further expands protections against COVID-19.

*Given the explosion of COVID-19 in our state and globally, I will sign a statewide emergency proclamation tomorrow to temporarily shut down restaurants, bars and entertainment and recreational facilities.

*Restaurants will be allowed to provide take-out and delivery services but no in-person dining will be permitted.

*The ban will not apply to grocery stores and pharmacies. Other retail outlets will have reduced occupancy

*Additionally, all gatherings with over 50 participants are prohibited and all gatherings under 50 participants are prohibited unless previously announced criteria for public health and social distancing are met.

*These are very difficult decisions, but hours count here and very strong measurements are necessary to slow the spread of the virus. I know there will be significant economic impacts to all our communities and we are looking at steps to help address those challenges.

*Tonight, after consultations with me and with the Department of Health, King County announced that they will be taking these actions immediately. King County has been the hotbed of this outbreak and has the largest population center in the state. I have spoken to Executive Dow Constantine and I Applaud their decision to act quickly. We will do a join media announcement with more details tomorrow morning.

March 15, 2020 Updates

We are getting a lot of questions asking if there are current cases of COVID-19 in Pacific County. Currently, the answer is no. For accurate and up to date information regarding confirmed positive cases by county, please visit DOH’s webpage by clicking HERE or download the Additional Resources page.

March 13, 2020 Update

If you have children who attend Long Beach Elementary, please respond to them with what measures you would like or need if a potential closure happens.

March 11, 2020 Updates

PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS, PEOPLE WITH UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Long Beach, Wash. – Pacific County Department of Public Health & Human Services is issuing new recommendations for populations at higher risk of serious illness from novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.

We are recommending – but not requiring – that people at higher risk stay home and away from large groups of people as much as possible. This includes large public gatherings where there will be close contact with others, such as conventions, sporting events and concerts.

People at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 include people:

1. Older than age 60.
2. Who have serious, chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and lung disease.
3. Who have weakened immune systems.

Anyone who has questions about whether their condition puts them at risk for COVID-19 should consult their regular healthcare provider and await further instructions for being seen.

Pacific County Department of Health & Human Services is not recommending restrictions on public gatherings or events at this time. As the situation evolves, these recommendations may change.

Pacific County Department of Health & Human Services is still recommending everyone take steps to keep themselves and others healthy, including:

1. Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.

3. Cover coughs and sneezes. Use a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.

4. Stay home and away from others when sick.

5. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

6. Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are frequently touched.

Pacific County Department of Health & Human Services is updating both our website and Facebook page frequently with COVID-19 information as it unfolds in Pacific County. Additional information about COVID-19 and your relative risk is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (http://www.cdc.gov).

March 11, 2020 Updates: Social Distancing and Quarantine: What You Need to Know

Information courtesy of Medium.com. To see the full-length article, visit Medium.com.

Practice Social Distancing

Changing our behavior is never easy. But keeping more space between yourself and others can help keep disease from spreading. While this is going around, you should stay at least six feet away from other people. Depending on what kind of work you do, you may be able to telecommute or come into the office at a different time than usual to avoid the morning rush. Look at spacing people further apart and having fewer people in a room. It might make sense for you to meet with people individually instead of as a group. You may be able to cancel or postpone large events or offer distance or online options. Limit travel, and, of course, avoid close contact with those who are sick.

Who has to quarantine themselves at home?

There’s a lot of information on who has to quarantine at home and when. It can be confusing, but let’s walk through it:

You have a cough and a fever

• AND you have had a test and actually been diagnosed with COVID-19, you need to stay home away from people for 7 days or until 72 hours after your fever and symptoms are gone, whichever is longer.
• AND you have NOT had a COVID-19 test, but you have had close contact with someone who has had a test and been diagnosed with COVID-19, you should isolate yourself at home for 7 days OR until 72 hours after your fever is gone and your symptoms get better, whichever is longer.
• AND you have NOT been around anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, you should stay home away from others until 72 hours after the fever is gone and symptoms get better. You may have COVID-19 or you may have any number of other respiratory diseases circulating in our communities.

You feel fine

• BUT you have had close contact with a sick person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Please monitor your health for fever, cough and shortness of breath during the 14 days after the last day you were in close contact with the sick person with COVID-19. You should not go to work or school, and should avoid public places for 14 days.
• BUT your kid or someone else in your household has a cough and a fever, but has NOT been tested for COVID-19. The sick person needs to stay home until their fever and symptoms have been gone for 72 hours. You and the rest of the household can continue to go to work and school as long as you feel well. There are many potential respiratory diseases that can cause cough and a fever.
• BUT a friend of a friend of yours has COVID-19. You can continue to go to work and school as long as you feel well. If you have not had close contact with someone with COVID-19, you are at low risk of COVID-19.
• BUT you are worried about your older or medically fragile friends and relatives. This is a time to practice social distancing. Refrain from shaking hands, high fives, and hugs, stand 6 feet or more away from other people. See if you can work from home. Wash your hands frequently.

March 6, 2020 Updates

We will continue to update our county with COVID-19 (coronavirus) information as it received. At this time, Pacific County has no confirmed cases of COVID-19. Please continue to use good preventative health practices (washing your hands and avoiding touching your face, staying home if you feel ill, calling your healthcare provider if you are concerned, etc.).

Our role as your public health department is to communicate pertinent public health information to our community, to help instruct and encourage preventative health practices, and to play a role in emergency response, if necessary.

1. We do not offer testing for COVID-19. If you feel you have symptoms of the virus, please contact your regular healthcare provider and await instructions for being seen.

2. There is not a vaccine available for COVID-19 at this time.

3. Please continue to follow best practices for healthy daily living. If you feel ill, please stay home and don’t attend work, meetings, church, or events, just as you would if you felt you had the flu or another virus. Please keep in mind those that can be most vulnerable to illness, such as the elderly or those with compromised immune systems, and exercise precaution appropriately.

We would like to assure our community that we will provide any and all information when it is received by us, and that it is good to be cautious and prepared, but there is no need to panic.

March 5, 2020 Updates

In an ongoing effort to keep our county informed with the latest news regarding COVID-19, here are the current updates from the Washington Department of Health. This information is regarding what to do if you feel you’ve potentially been exposed to the virus, what to do if you have symptoms, and what to do in a confirmed/suspected case situation. Please note that some of the recommendations have changed. We want to again advise our community that this is a time to be prepared and well-informed, not to panic.

What to do if you have symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and have not been around anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19:

If you have a fever, cough or shortness of breath but have not been around anyone you know who has COVID-19, follow the steps below to help prevent your infection from spreading to people in your home and community. 

Could I have COVID-19?

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath. If you have a fever, cough or shortness of breath but have not been around anyone who you know has COVID-19, the likelihood that you have COVID-19 is fairly low. COVID-19 is circulating in some communities in Washington but several other respiratory viruses are circulating in Washington as well.

Should I go to my doctor and get tested for COVID-19?

If you have any of the conditions that my increase your risk for serious viral infection – age 60 years or over, are pregnant, or have medical conditions, cal your physician’s office and ask if you need to be evaluated in person. They may want to monitor your health more closely or test you for influenza. 

If you do not have a high risk condition and your symptoms are mild, you do not need to be evaluated in person and do not need to be tested for COVID-19. There are currently no medications to treat COVID-19.

What should I do to keep my infection from spreading to my family or other people in the community?

Stay home except to get medical care.

You should restrict activities outside of your home, except for getting medical care. Do not go to work, school or public areas. Avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis.

Separate yourself from other people and animals in your home.

People: as much as possible, you should stay in a specific room and away form other people in your home. Also, you should use a separate bathroom, if available.

Animals: do you handle pets or other animals. 

Call ahead before you visit your doctor:

If you have a medical appointment, call the healthcare provider and tell them that you have symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19. This will help the healthcare provider’s office take steps to keep other people from getting infected or exposed. 

Wear a facemask:

You should wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) or pets and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. 

What to do if you were potentially exposed to someone with confirmed caronavirus disease (COVID-19)

If you think you have been exposed to someone with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, follow the steps below to monitor your health and avoid spreading the disease to others if you get sick. 

What is coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by a new virus called SARS-coV-2. The most common symptoms of the disease are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Most people with COVID-19 will have mild disease but some people will get sicker and may need to be hospitalized. 

How do I know if I was exposed?

You generally need to be in close contact with a sick person to get infected. Close contact includes:

1. Living in the same household as a sick person with COVID-19.
2. Caring for a sick person with COVID-19.
3. Being within 6-feet of a sick person with COVID-19 for about 10 minutes, OR
4. Being in direct contact with secretions from a sick person with COVID-19 (e.g., being coughed on, kissing, sharing utensils, etc.) If you have not been in close contact with a sick person with COVID-19, you are considered to be at low risk for infection. You can continue to go to work and school, but should monitor your health for 14-day and stay away from others if you get sick. 

What should I do if I am in close contact to someone with COVID-19 but am not sick?

You should monitor you health for a fever, cough and shortness of breath during the 14-days after the last day you were in close contact with the sick person with COVID-19. You should not go to work or school, and should avoid public places for 14-days.

What should I do if I am in close contact to someone with COVID-19 and get sick?

If you get sick with a fever, cough or shortness of breath (even if your symptoms are very mild), you should stay at home and away from other people. If you have any of the following conditions that may increase your risk for a serious infection – age 60 years or over, are pregnant, or have medical conditions – contact your physician’s office and tell them that you were exposed to someone with COVID-19. They may want to monitor your health more closely or test you for COVID-19.

If you do not have a high-risk condition but want medical advice, call your healthcare provider and tell them that you were exposed to someone with COVID-19. Your healthcare provider can help you decide if you need to be valuated in person. There are currently no medications to treat COVID-19. If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, notify the dispatch personnel that you may have been exposed to COVID-19. If possible, put a facemask on before emergency medical services arrive or immediately after they arrive.