— from Brendan Cowan, County Department of Emergency Management —
During the COVID-19 crisis the San Juan County COVID Response Team have made a real effort to keep the public informed through our website (www.sjccovid.com), via local media, through Facebook (@sjcpublichealth), Twitter (@SanJuanCountyWA), through several video updates, and in both
Spanish and English, in a unified effort to speak with one voice to as many islanders as possible.
Now, we are pleased to present a series of video updates, “COVID-19 Community Conversations.” These short videos of ten minutes or less will highlight specific efforts from organizations and people in our community that provide key services and provide crucial leadership around the county.
This week we are releasing three initial videos from community leaders, each serving the islands in different but essential ways. In the weeks to come we will release more, so check back to our YouTube channel “San Juan County COVID-19 Response.”
Christa Campbell, Director of Lopez Chamber of Commerce: (link to video) “Lopez is proving to be remarkably resilient, and that’s about all I need to say about the virus.” Fortunately, she went on to elaborate. “Lopezeats.com on Facebook connects our restaurants and purveyors of food with the public while Lopezshops.com is connecting non-food centered businesses through websites.” She also recommended Lopezisland.recovers.org as “a hub to help coordinate those who need services with organizations that can provide them.” Campbell closed by saying, “I would ask everyone on Lopez to just hang in there and support each other.”
Scott Williams, Chief of Orcas Fire and Rescue: (link to video) Chief Williams’ dedication to his community is always evident, saying “We couldn’t ask for a better community to serve… I see great efforts being taken around social distancing, and I am also aware of the efforts of people taking precautions, and still providing food, shelter, and other daily needs to those in need.” Dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic is a challenge for first responders, and Williams explains what fire and EMS service is like during this crisis. “We are working with the local clinics to coordinate healthcare between our organizations.”
Rick Hughes, Chair of San Juan County Council: (link to video) Acknowledging the difficulties that social distancing poses, Councilman Hughes invites county residents to “Care for your neighbors and
try to take care of those in need.” After outlining some of the challenges that the county is addressing, he discusses efforts county residents and companies are making to fight COVID-19, “The ingenuity in this county is amazing!”
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As someone who loves the islands and specifically our Orcas island, where we have a second home, I am looking for specific guidance as to when or if we go ahead with our plans to travel to the island this summer. Please help?
I would suggest that you do as my husband and I did. We are totally healthy and have no reason to think that we might have (or not have) the virus. We quarantined for more than 2 weeks in our home off-island, arrived on island and stayed in quarantine for another 2 weeks. Quarantine means NEVER leaving your house or yard, and not letting ANYONE near us. We had enough food to make it through the 2 weeks on island. If you cannot do that, have a friend do your shopping, have them leave it on your doorstep and do not open the door until they have left. No hellos, no nothing. Then while on island, shop only when you have a good long list of needs, be organized and follow all the store’s suggestions.
Having said that, I am very aware that some islanders may find returns to second homes on Orcas to be a plague. I think I am trying to make up for that by helping the Orcas Community Resource Center, OPALCO, OPAL and the Food Bank reach out to people in need. You can too. And if you have enough money for a second home, I would hazard a guess that you have enough to donate to the Orcas Island Community Fund. There are an awful lot of people who are unable to work due to Covid and are diligently following the rules. PLEASE HELP OUR COMMUNITY.