— from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray —
Newest numbers. The state of Washington reported 797 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours. This brings the total number of cases to 47,743 as of July 19 at 11:59 p.m. The total number of deaths are at 1,453.
For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health’s dashboard and the state’s COVID-19 risk assessment dashboard.
Seven Safe Start county applications returned amidst pause on reopening. Today, Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiesman announced that he is returning all COVID-19 Safe Start applications from counties whose applications were put on pause or pending review before Gov. Jay Inslee implemented a statewide pause on reopening plans. The pause is expected to last until at least July 28, meaning at least four weeks will have passed since the applications were submitted, and information in the applications will be outdated.
The following county applications have been returned: Clark, Cowlitz, Jefferson, Kitsap, Klickitat, San Juan and Walla Walla. Information about all counties is available on the state’s Safe Start county status page.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
It would seem that the SJC Council has been let off the hook by the governor’s ever-so-wise decision to return the applications. However, does “returned” mean rejected or suspended at this time? Does this put the decision to move phases in the hands of the council or, hopefully, into the more medically sound and prudent hands of Frank James? God help all of us, when decisions that may result in life or death are made by medically unqualified businessmen who parade themselves as “representatives.”
The returned application is effectively null and void. The situation is fluid, and if and when and new application is made (and my guess it will be in quite a while unless mooted by a vaccine), it will be based on entirely different circumstances and so a whole new application.
Some tourist enterprises will survive. Some probably will not. Those that don’t will either be bought up by mega-outsiders (the largest foreclosed home purchaser and now home renter in the country is reputedly Black Rock) and run from afar, or the community steps in and creates needed low income housing. People need to recognize that the time to start getting our act together is now, and no later than very soon, or this opportunity to reorient our economy will be lost.