Includes restrictions on travel and lodging
— from San Juan County Communications —
Today, Wednesday March 25, 2020, San Juan County Health Officer, Dr. Frank James, MD, issued an immediate order to restrict non-essential travel to San Juan County, control contact with playgrounds and playground equipment, and limit transient accommodations and camping. Travel and lodging for individuals engaged in essential activities or providing essential services may continue.
The full order can be found HERE. The order is effective immediately and is set to expire on April 30, but will be revisited on April 6 and may be extended or amended as dictated by the situation.
“This order is necessary to control and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in San Juan County. This order has been made to protect all citizens but especially our most vulnerable islanders,” said Dr. James. He added, “This was an extremely difficult decision and one I do not take lightly. This will impact many of our local businesses and our islands’ residents. In my professional judgement, it is necessary to reduce the spread of this infection and move toward ending this pandemic.
“Every case prevented now is magnified into the future. Those individual cases will multiply many times and each one we prevent will save many lives as the exponential growth in cases occurs.”
More details and frequently asked questions on the San Juan County order and the recent Governor’s Stay Home order may be viewed HERE. The County Health Order builds upon Governor’s Proclamation 20-25, Stay Home – Stay Safe, issued on March 23, 2020. The Governor’s Order can be read HERE. There is a provision for exceptions for essential services.
San Juan County health officials remind islanders that if you feel sick and have mild symptoms, stay home. If you feel you have more serious symptoms or if you are at risk for severe illness, stay home and call your health provider. Do not report to a clinic or to the hospital. Follow your doctor or health professional’s direction.
If you feel the situation is urgent and life threatening, call 911. For more information please visit our informational webpage. This website is updated as new information becomes available. You can also visit the San Juan County Health and Community Services Facebook page. For help with answering specific questions about the San Juan County Health Officer Order that aren’t answered on our frequently-asked questions, email covidquestions@sanjuanco.com.
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The prescription for 6-foot separation is satisfactory and perfectly doable. I regret this movement restriction, especially wrt ferry travel.
I fully support the non-essential travel order. This is a completely reasonable and well-measured approach to containing the spread. Since all visitor and tourist related activities are closed down, why would we want tourists and visitors here? There is a “Stay at Home” order across the state. If this is not your home, then don’t stay here.
Since our officials are not actively acquiring information about infection status, we are granted the “liberty” of ignorance.
It is easy to make complex new restrictive rules because we are free to assume that, unlike every other population on the planet, there are not already many more asymptomatic carriers than we know.
We are assured that of the 3 COVID+ cases, contact tracing was done. But this proven epidemiological protocol has failed to lead to more positives or proof of imported transmission. The only conclusion is:
Immaculate Infection!
A miracle!
and we the Chosen people.
All for the lack of a test.
hallelujah.
next we will repeal global warming.