— from Brendan Cowan, Department of Emergency Management —
In order to help San Juan County businesses and other organizations protect their employees and customers, the County COVID response team has produced printable posters to support their effort.
Multiple versions and sizes of posters are available, including the Orcas specific ones released by the Orcas Community Foundation.
As the world moves into the next phase of the COVID-19 response, we need to be more vigilant than ever about ensuring we prevent spread of the disease and avoid starting this crisis all over again. This is especially true in San Juan County, where many of our residents are highly mobile, and where a large segment of our economy depends on off-island visitors.
One of the most critical tools for preventing transmission is the wearing of face coverings in public. This is an essential adjustment we all need to make in order to protect ourselves, our employees, and our local economy. If we don’t take this seriously, we risk going backward, not forward.
Note that as the Governor authorizes some businesses to reopen, there may be specific guidelines issued that require the use of face coverings for employees and/or customers.
The sincere hope is that our residents and visitors will take this important approach to heart and do the right thing.
In order to encourage proper behavior, it is strongly recommended that all
businesses and other organizations post this signage at their entrance. This is an essential step to protect staff and minimize the risk for San Juan County. Keeping safe = keeping open.
For more information about why covering our faces is so important, please review this article.
FACE COVERINGS REQUIRED?
How effective is a mask, a bandana, social distancing? For months we were told none of these were important, then after the curve was flattened and supplies caught up with “essential user” needs they were recommended, now they have morphed into “requirements” and proposed,as “laws”
The virus can travel up to 4 meters in the air and excluding the N95, mask efficacy ranges from 4% to 70% depending on materials and construction, but we are told that any mask and two meters of separation are just dandy. My observation; these “feels good“ affectations promulgated by our “science reliant” leaders appear to have dubious value with a serious downside as noted by Dr. James, “some people can’t wear masks due to underlying medical conditions…. We want to avoid shaming and judging, and instead come from a place of empathy and decency.”
The County COVID response team might discuss this and HIPAA constraints further with Dr. James before making them a requirement.
I for one am glad businesses are
Required that staff wear face masks and require customers to wear masks as well. If we are all wearing we are protecting each other which in turn is protecting oneself.
Signage is needed. It seems some business owners just don’t care enough about their community to wear masks voluntarily.
Phil, please let us know when you plan to run your errands so we can go another time. Thanks!
To those out there gravitating toward shaming (or worse) those who don’t wear masks, do remember Dr. James’s statement (that Phil rightly made note of) that “some people can’t wear masks due to underlying medical conditions” (https://www.sanjuanco.com/DocumentCenter/View/20239/Hot-Topic-19-Cover-Your-Face).
If you go to Costco’s website and read the text of their statement on “mandatory” facemasks in their stores (https://www.costco.com/coronavirus.html), you’ll find it contains similar language about exceptions for those with medical conditions.
Why?
The Americans With Disabilities Act.
No business owner or government official in their right mind is going to leave themselves open to a federal class action lawsuit over discriminating against someone with a medical condition. No one wants to pay out a potentially multimillion dollar damage settlement.
So please, be sensible. Don’t shame, and don’t try to ban people without masks. Our bank accounts will be happier for it.
Great post from D’Anna. There are very legitimate reasons for not wearing a mask. Hopefully people don’t take advantage of that fact.
We want to strongly encourage the use of face coverings, but we also want to encourage a culture of tolerance and empathy and kindness- even if it is towards someone we don’t agree with.
Everyone who is able to should cover their face when in public indoor spaces or outdoor spaces where social distancing is not possible. Keeping the islands safe is our best bet for getting back on our feet and staying there.
The communities and people that will emerge from this in the best shape emotionally are those that channel the uncertainty and fear towards kindness, patience, and decency- and not use this as an opportunity for bitterness, anger, or shaming. Thanks to all.