— from Brendan Cowan for Department of Emergency Management —
One new positive COVID-19 case has been reported on Orcas Island, which brings the total number of cases in San Juan County to date to 25. The initial case investigation is complete. Close contacts are in quarantine and the patient is isolating. The findings from the case investigation suggest the transmission source was a large off-island social gathering where some participants were unmasked.
Regarding the recent cases on San Juan Island: initial testing has not found any COVID positive individuals other than the five confirmed cases. Out of an abundance of caution, some close contacts remain in quarantine to minimize the chance of any further spread.
It has been said before, but it is so important that it needs to be highlighted again:
The greatest risk the islands are facing right now is close social contact between islanders and friends and family from outside of their household.
Cases are increasing dramatically in Washington and beyond. San Juan County is still in Phase 2, which limits us to no more than five contacts a week with those outside of our household. Clearly there are many not following this restriction, and clearly we are seeing new cases as a result.
Recently Florida saw a surge of cases in their younger population, and a
few weeks later saw an increase in hospitalizations as the surge spread to older individuals. Washington is now experiencing a surge in the younger population.
This crisis feels endless and it is hard to maintain so much sacrifice for so long. Preventing a roll-back to previous restrictions requires from all of us a dramatic reset of what “normal” life feels like. It’s not fun, but it matters, and it is what will continue to keep our islands strong.
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Considering that almost next to nothing is being done to slow down the off island annual increase in visitors, it feels ridiculous to me to be reminded to limit contact to no more than five times per week with those outside of your own household (which most of us are doing and have been doing since February). I know this topic has been debated widely and often but it brings to mind again the possibility that something needs to be done to pair down the number of visitors. What that something is I don’t know because now it’s probably too little too late something should’ve been done way before now.
What does “five contacts” mean? What is a contact?
How did they find out that it was this particular gathering and that some people were there without masks? It sounds like they don’t know where those people got this virus from and just want to show that they shouldn’t go without a mask. People use masks incorrectly, especially when it’s hot. Many people ignore safety rules and it is understandable. In such conditions, we will either get sick with the virus or suffocate.
Well, we were never in phase 2. There are essential bicycle tours, essential whale watching, essential Eastsound strolls, essential party’s. Vaca rentals around my house have been full since “phase 2”. The community likes tourism over locals. Money, money, money. I’ve called for testing in the ferry lines since the beginning……but no.
I suggest we all contact WSF, the Governor’s Office and our county council members and request a banner add on the WSF Reservation Page that reminds people to Stay Home and Stay Safe. There are examples of this on the state highways, why not the state ferry?
Contact information below,
Contact Governor Jay Inslee at https://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/send-gov-inslee-e-message
The State Legislators contact information is on this website.
WSDOT Regional Communications Office 206-440-4698
San Juan County Council
billw@sanjuanco.com. Bill Watson
rickh@sanjuanco.com Rick Hughes
jamies@sanjuanco.com Jamie Stevens
It seems to me that we cannot tell if the virus is being transmitted to the island by visitors. Even if a visitor is tested and diagnosed with the virus, it will not be reported by our health officials – it is reported to and by the health department in the visitor’s home location. Our health department will do what it can to trace the source of infection for an islander, but if I understand correctly, that consists only of interviewing that islander. If they went to the mainland is that the extent of the trace? Any follow-up on the mainland is referred to the health department at the home location of the suspected contact(s). Is there any verification or follow-up on that? Any claim that the virus is NOT being brought to the island by tourists seems questionable to me.
Actually, if an infected, contagious (but asymptomatic) mainlander comes here and stays with an islander, there is a high probability of communicating the disease, as they will be under the same roof for hours if not days. The “viral dose” is proportional to time of exposure, and it presumably takes only 10-15 minutes of close contact with a contagious person to pick up a sufficient dosage that can lead to the disease.
This is probably worse than being in a restaurant with an infected person and breathing the same air for an hour.
“ The findings from the case investigation suggest the transmission source was a large off-island social gathering where some participants were unmasked.”
Seems to me to be a loose guess and not showing the whole picture. I wonder why no one thinks it’s an issue that the person works in the core of our most populated and busiest area: Eastsound. SJC, what say you?