||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT |||
Due to a significant surge in positive COVID cases in the San Juan Island community, residents are instructed to take the
following actions to prevent further spread:
- Immediately limit high-risk indoor contact with those outside of your household. This includes vehicles, workspaces, socializing between children, and other sources of prolonged high-risk contact. High-risk activity includes unmasked contact or masked but for an extended time in close proximity. Note that fully vaccinated individuals may socialize with other fully vaccinated individuals, or with one other unvaccinated household.
- Limit high-risk outdoor activities. Note that it is much easier to minimize risk outdoors through masking, sanitizing of hands and surfaces, and thoughtful social distancing.
- Those who know they have had high-risk close contact with a confirmed COVID-positive individual should limit all contact with those from outside of their household and monitor carefully for symptoms. If symptomatic, contact your healthcare provider to discuss treatment and the need for testing. Public health staff will be reaching out to close contacts directly. Due to large caseload and number of potentially exposed individuals identified, this may take several days.
- Don’t travel, don’t host. If you do choose to travel, don’t fly, or take other public transit of any kind (other than staying in your car on the ferry) and eliminate all contact with anyone outside of your household (unless all members of traveling party are fully vaccinated). If you must travel, and are unable or unwilling to do so safely, quarantine for two weeks upon return to the islands. See this simple diagram for full guidance.
- Assume that new COVID variants are responsible for new cases. This means the disease spreads much more easily and potentially has more serious health impacts.
- Get vaccinated as soon as you are able.
In addition, the following specific groups should follow guidance below:
- Friday Harbor High School AM and PM Cohorts:
- Restrict social activities until further notice, as case investigations and contact tracing efforts are completed.
- Call your healthcare provider if you develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19.
- Friday Harbor High School Boys Baseball Team
- Quarantine through end of day on 4/16.
- Call your healthcare provider if you develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19.
San Juan County Health & Community Services contact info:
Individuals who have had close contact with a COVID positive individual may contact San Juan County Health & Community Services at 360-370-7500 M-F, 8:00-4:30pm and via a message line after hours and weekends at 360-370-7532. Please note, caseloads are very high at this time and you should expect to leave a message for a return call within 48-72 hours. You may also contact the state hotline from 6:00am-10:00pm daily: 1-800-525-0127 and press # when you hear the message. Interpretation services are available over the phone.
The next few weeks are going to be a race between variant spread and vaccine roll-out. For now, variant spread is winning. We all need to dial back our activities and reinstate our protocols, with knowledge that we are getting considerably closer to vaccinating everyone. Once that happens, we can finally relax.
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” [W]e are getting considerably closer to vaccinating everyone. Once that happens, we can finally relax.” Yes, but will that happen? Current polls indicate that it is doubtful: one in three Americans say that they will refuse, or are at least likely to refuse, to be vaccinated. To them I say, Please, do not consider this to be an opportunity to exercise your free choice. Instead, think of this as your obligation to your fellow human beings to participate in stamping out this pandemic. Experts tell us that unless we reach a vaccination rate of about 85%, COVID-19 will survive and continue in its lethal course. So long as you remain unvaccinated you are a public health menace. Getting vaccinated is your patriotic duty.
It is remarkable how well Orcas Island has been doing amidst the recent upsurge, both on San Juan Island and on the mainland. No new cases since March 23. We must be doing something right. Fingers crossed.