— from Brendan Cowan, Department of Emergency Management —
Following a recommendation from San Juan County Health Officer Dr. Frank James, both the County Board of Health and the San Juan County Council approved submitting an application to the WA State Secretary of Health to enter a modified version of Phase 3 of the Governor’s four-phased Safe Start Washington plan.
The timing of submission of the application and potential approval is uncertain, but businesses and others impacted by this decision should prepare for a potential move to Phase 3 as soon as Thursday June 25, but to be clear, exact timing and approval are both unknown at this time.
This modified form of Phase 3 would newly allow the following activities:
- The Governor’s non-essential travel ban is lifted.
- Outdoor group activities, including youth and adult sports with no more than 50 participants.
- Recreation facilities (including pools and gyms) may open at no more than 50% capacity.
- Restaurants/taverns may operate at no more than 75% capacity; table size remains limited to no more than 5.
- Libraries and museums may reopen.
The San Juan County specific modifications recommended are as follows:
- No indoor gatherings are allowed of more than 5 people unless part of activities allowed in Phase 1, 2, or 3. Outdoor gatherings of no more than 50 are allowed.
- Restaurant table seating is limited at no more than 5 per table.
- Theaters are not allowed to reopen at any capacity.
- Bar-style seating in any tavern, restaurant, or bar may not open. Table seating is allowed.
If approved by the WA State Secretary of Health, San Juan County’s move to Phase 3 will trigger a lifting of the San Juan County Health Officer’s 50% limit on all transient lodging, camping and transient moorage in San Juan County. Transient lodging will be allowed to operate at 100% capacity.
Playgrounds will be allowed to open as well.
Rick Hughes, Chair of the San Juan County Council said, “This is a big step for the islands. We need to move forward safely and thoughtfully, and we’re confident San Juan County is in a strong position to do so.”
Face coverings in all public indoor spaces will continue to be required, per San Juan County Health Officer order 2020-4. In addition, as per the Governor’s June 23 mandate, face coverings are required outdoors when social distancing cannot be maintained. Face coverings are not required in
the home or when household groups are together and maintaining social distancing from others.
Dr. James explained the thinking that went into the move, “While nothing is 100% guaranteed, I am confident that we have systems in place to help protect San Juan County. When coupled with ongoing thoughtfulness and attention from our residents and visitors, we hope to continue moving
forward and avoid any situations that would require further restrictions.”
High risk populations will continue to be strongly encouraged to stay home to the full extent possible.
The Governor’s office continues to release and post guidance for businesses and other activities for all Phases of the Safe Start plan online.
For more information about COVID-19 and the ongoing San Juan County response, visit www.sjccovid.com.
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A US record for daily cases of COVID-19 – Wednesday 45,557! Living in the state of Washington? If you fly from the Evergreen State to New York, Connecticut or New Jersey, after debarkation you must submit to a 14 day quarantine.
I think it’s too soon.
Too soon for this. The cases are spiking all over and we have had several new cases locally. And people are flocking to the islands from all over the country. Way too soon to be able to see the impacts from all of this. Having almost no medical infrastructure here anyone who gets truly ill will have to go to the city for treatment if we have an outbreak. Too soon.
“Rick Hughes, Chair of the San Juan County Council said, “This is a big step for the islands.”” Indeed. It’s a big step backwards. With the virus now peaking again nationwide, moving the county to Phase 3 at this point would be the height of irresponsibility.
Please no its too soon!
This decision prioritizes tourism and tourist related industry over residents and community based businesses. It’s a shortsighted way of looking where dollars come from.
We should be keeping our business is open and safe for the people that live here. The more we open to tourism, the more risk we expose our community too. Unfortunately for many, this also means the more Our residents will choose to shelter in place. Just when were able to start going out and supporting local businesses, I am reluctant to because of the wildcard of people traveling from all over the country.
It’s important to ask questions as to who does this serve?
Way too soon for unlimited tourism in our small island communities, with limited health care, minimal law enforcement and a large proportion of high-risk seniors in our population. In a Public Health Emergency, citizen safety should be the #1 concern…and it’s very hard to be among carefree vacationers when we are trying to keep ourselves and our loved ones alive.
I’ve pretty much stayed out of this fray but Christopher says it right on. I came through town today and desperately wanted to get out as soon as I got my groceries. So many people walking around without masks; as a local why would I want to even get out of my car? And driving through Moran, which was absolutely jampacked like the Fourth of July, not a mask to be seen. I live here and I’m unable to safely enjoy town or the parks. Shelter in place for me, Orcas Island resident and worker, while the maskless visitors get summer in the San Juans.
Excellent points, Christopher. I agree. Our islands have done an excellent job keeping Covid-19 at bay so why bring in tourists at a time when cases of Covid-19 are increasing everywhere including Washington State. By keeping our community healthy we can contribute to the “health” of all our businesses.
Tracy makes a great point. If the tourists are coming (as they surely will, whatever phase of recovery we are officially in), we’ve got to be sure they’ll wear masks. How can we get local enforcement of this?
Sheep can shelter.
Americans can enjoy more of their freedoms GUARANTEED BY THE CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS!
NONE OF US WILL ESCAPE THIS EARTH ALIVE!
I agree with Tracy’s observations.
I support the County’s recommendation. People who are vulnerable can stay home. Our small businesses, restaurants and hotels need the tourists to make it through another winter. Let’s not be so self-centered.
After all, the virus is not going away, so we have to learn to live with it. Wearing masks reduces transmissibility by 85%. Wear a mask and move away from others not wearing them, I’m in town nearly every day and it’s really not that difficult.
“ vulnerable people can stay home “ just sounds so supportive and community minded doesn’t it ?
Seems like boycotting any business owned or operated by those whom would gladly trade the health and safety of our community for profit might be an effective response.
Keep in mind those responsible for the unfortunate decision to go to phase 3: the County Council, each of whom encouraged it and voted for it. Elections are in August.
Great timing for today’s headline:
“The US sees a record number of new coronavirus cases in a single day”
The council is not seeing things clearly. They want so badly for things to be different that they cannot see what’s in front of their eyes. Yeah, I want this to be over too, but we’re still in the worst of this pandemic!
Yes, I believe that this county is technically eligible for phase 3, Because of the due diligence and cooperative community and support of everyone that lives here. But you’re essentially inviting anyone, from any state, from any phase to vacation here now. There’s no vetting this.
Who benefits financially from this decision? The service workers in our community, who are making minimum-wage to do the most essential and risky of tasks?
No.
The healthcare workers that are on the front line of this crisis?
No.
Our high percentage of elderly and high risk seniors Who are afraid to even come into town?
No.
Yes, it’s that sinking feeling again. This is all about money.
Sales revenue from tourism, tourism taxes on lodging, And mad mad cash for owners of vacation rentals.
Im not accusing here, because I just don’t know but I’m curious to know if any of the council members own one or more vacation rentals?
Follow the money.
You know, a couple months ago I thought we might all take an opportunity this year to take a pause. Give our island a rest, give our ecosystem a break from impact, remember what’s important, continue to take care of each other and have the island serve the Islanders like it used to be.
Is it too late for this?
Tourism will always be here, no one is arguing that fact – but does it have to be all-or-nothing? Do we need a thousand air b & b’s open in the midst of a pandemic that’s not even over the first wave?
it’s not an “either-or” issue and anyone who tries to say it is, succeeds only in pitting people against each other needlessly. it’s a complex problem that is not going to go away and we need to deal with figuring out some kind of middle path. i don’t think rushing into phase 3 with everyone supposedly masked and no way to enforce that, is a middle path. And when i read opinions that locals are being self-centered for our concerns, kind of makes us feel expendable… and how dare we question a dangerous and reckless path – which is kind of unfair, don’t you think?
It seems money always comes first. Now it is coming first before safety and lives. I understand it is a very complicated problem, making a living, opening up to all the tourists. There must be some compromise in all of this. Cant we learn from others, look at Texas, Arizona, Florida they opened up to soon and now their population is paying the price. The difference here is we do not have the Medical structure to handle this. The county council has made a mistake and they will see that in August elections. Trading economy for people not a good idea. Too bad locals now have to sacrifice their summer for tourists.
I am crushed.
Yes to all the thoughtful comments that have been shared by islanders here…the money made by opening up to phase 3 will not be more than ill gotten gains at the expense of newly infected Islanders who have so far been careful and healthy. Some of us will get infected and some may die with the flood of untested visitors. For many of us it does mean more hiding in our homes while the tourists enjoy themselves at our parks and shops. One does wonder which council members own Airbnb’s and are pushing for phase 3.
It’s too soon, we should be testing out phase 2 for a longer period. In agreement with Christopher Evans thoughts here.
There is a brief window where we can write to Gov. Inslee and express our disapproval. Please write ASAP!
https://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/contacting-governors-office
I have a solution for all of this. Instead of the County and Public Works spending many millions of dollars on projects we don’t want or need, let’s set up a fund to help small business owners keep their homes and be able to pay their rents, while they transition into more sustainable livelihoods. This pandemic gives us opportunity do some deep thinking about what direction we want to go that won’t crush the middle class and poor, or use tourists as the sole-economy commodity/golden-cash-cows.
This pandemic makes it crystal-clear that the endemic rot of this unjust system uses us all – tourists included. It is telling and it is disturbing that we could endanger an entire population because we are a one-trick pony, when we should have a diverse and flexible year-round economy based on far more than money.
True wealth includes taking care of each other and the planet, and educating people who come here how to see what’s special in their own back yards and communities, and cherish it.
“Vulnerable people can stay home” suggests that there’s a particular group that gets the virus. That initial belief has been disproven by the wave of recent cases of people in their 20-30s, who absolutely needed to go hang out in bars, came down with the virus, and experienced strokes and other unfortunate sequelae. Anyone can get the virus; anyone can suffer consequences; anyone can carry the virus.
As Americans, it is extremely difficult to admit – on any level from personal ambulatory freedom to making a dollar – that there must be limits. While we know this intellectually the hard reality is hitting people where they live and the disconnect is jarring, to say the least.
As Gil Scott Heron sang, “When it comes to peoples safety/Money wins out every time.”
Amen, Brother Gil
The suggestion that us older/more vulnerable folks just stay home sounds like something an absentee landlord might say.
“COVID-19 has spread throughout most of Washington State” (DoH)
So first we open up vacation rentals at 50%–most or which are owned by people who don’t live here–and with no monitoring or enforcement; now we apply for full Phase 3 opening, with cases increasing nationwide. Each visitor who comes from a high-population, interactive, COVID-impacted location is a potential asymptomatic COVID vector. They don’t live here; we do. Business as usual?
” Vulnerable people can stay home” does Not suggest by any means that only those with comorbidities or the elderly can get the virus, quite the opposite. In fact Fauci & the Health Depts. of CA & WA are recommending just that: that vulnerable people “stay home as much as possible”. The key point here is that vulnerable people are the ones with the highest mortality risk. For younger populations the mortality risk is far lower.
Some people will no doubt share anecdotal evidence about young people who are exceptions.
Check the mortality rates by age group data.
It’s not ” community -minded” to place s higher weight on one’s own mobility around town than on younger people’s livelihood and the livelihoods of business owners . It’s strikes me as an oversimplification to resort to political sloganeering about “it always comes down to money “. People have to earn incomes to buy food and healthcare. Not everyone can be self-employed, work from home, or collect a Social Security check.
Right on Sadie! Your clear thinking gives justice to the moment. Over reliance on a tourism-based economy is a race to the bottom. Being locked into the endless loop of continually over-promoting (with tax-payers dollars) such an environmentally extractive industry as tourism, (with it’s ever-growing, and never-ending expensive maintenance costs), that makes a lot of money for a few, and provides less than a livable wage for the rest is a long-term lose-lose scenario for everybody… whether you’re a resident, business owner, or tourist.
Under the current system the administration can always find money to fund the newest gimmick promoting the current growth paradigm, but have only excuses to offer (“we can’t do that”), when it comes time to consider funding areas that will promote our environmental or social welfare.
I didn’t move here for money, and I’m angry that I’m forced to watch, and indeed, pay for the long-term degradation of the community I love because of an exploitive, $$$ uber alles, industry. Social responsibility should always be put above profit.
From the SJC Visitors Survey–
January 2020 Part IV: Conclusions and recommendations
9. Support for infrastructure to handle visitors
When considering projects, it is important to recognize the conundrum that improved infrastructure may also attract additional use (“build it and they will come”), so capacity remains an important part of the discussion. We think it makes sense to develop infrastructure in balance with an intentional capacity, and then adopt explicit policies that limit visitation to capacity and keep infrastructure up to standards. This is the stated goal of federal agency visitor use management programs.
Introduction: The San Juan Islands are a major northwest tourist destination, with increasing use and impacts that threaten resource health, the quality of visitor experiences, and quality of life for residents.
Public opinion data regarding many issues commonly show tight splits between support and opposition. But the results reported here often show 60%, 70%, or even 80% support, often across groups that conventional wisdom might consider divergent in their interests. We hope that San Juan Islanders find ways to capitalize on this broad support to pursue actions that fit with the shared values that attract people to live, work, and recreate in this exceptional place. The goal is management by design rather than management by default.
As the surrounding region grows, there will probably be persistent pressure to develop and grow tourism in the San Juans. Data show that lower density, natural resource-based tourism is the current San Juan Island tourism niche, and it appears that residents, businesses, and visitors would like to keep it that way.
http://sjclandbank.org/…/Tourism-in-the-San-Juan…
I understand the desire for a more diverse economy, but very few of the ideas proposed have panned out. Construction–our major economic engine until relatively recently–is controversial, even though — IIRC — fewer than half the buildable lots have been used. Agriculture, a favorite of most, is barely surviving. We’re certainly not capable of supporting large scale industry, even if we wanted it. Having people capable of “telecommuting” move here to live, raise families, and pay taxes is reasonably sustainable. What else exists? We need ideas.
First we need the political will to stop over-promoting ($$$) that which is killing our environment.
“Environment, that which allows us to live.”
Michael–So do you think that Council should eliminate the lodging tax, or at least redirect that portion now used for tourism promotion? Or perhaps direct it to offset impacts of tourism? Is that sufficient?
Yes, “we need ideas.” And we need leadership that’s willing to explore them.
The phrase “over-tourism” is not some ethereal concept… it’s something that’s happening here and now, (in the midst of a health crisis).
A good start would be limits. Recognizing that tourism by nature is an extractive industry, and reducing the numbers of tourists is the only way of off-setting the effects of over-tourism. Anything else is just window-dressing.
Come November we need to replace the current cluster of elected officials that continue to put economy over all else, and as a tactic continue to downplay, minimize, and dismiss the voices, studies, and efforts of those that bring these issues to the forefront. By ignoring the problems that are relative to over-tourism they make it worse by doing so. We need to elect progressive thinking people that are not afraid to take on this issue at it’s face value.
Electing officials who are able to understand and admit that there’s a problem, and that in the long term we’re heading in a dangerous direction, (as many other communities have before us), is paramount towards fixing the problems related too over-tourism.
“As the surrounding region grows, there will probably be persistent pressure to develop and grow tourism in the San Juans. Data show that lower density, natural resource-based tourism is the current San Juan Island tourism niche, and it appears that residents, businesses, and visitors would like to keep it that way.”
http://sjclandbank.org/…/Tourism-in-the-San-Juan…