UPDATES FROM PACIFIC COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. There are now 27 counties (Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston, Whatcom, Yakima) in WA State that have reported cases of COVID-19. San Juan and Stevens counties have been added to this list. For the latest numbers please visit https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus. Pacific County
Neighboring WA/OR Counties Grays Harbor
Lewis County
Wahkiakum
Clatsop County
For Oregon COVID-19 Updates, click here. ****************************** Gov Inslee Stresses “Stay home,” but No “Stay at home” Order yet . . . Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday expressed concern that some residents are not following his mandates to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and prevent “significant loss of life of the people we love in the state of Washington.” “Although I laid out orders … for people to stop eating in restaurants and going to bars and other gathering places, and put limits on large gatherings, we are still seeing people ignoring both of these orders and common sense about what it takes to protect our loved ones,” he said. “If people continue to ignore this common-sense provision, I will go farther to protect 7 million Washingtonians. So I am asking you — and you may say I am pleading with you — to stay home unless it is necessary for you to go out. I am asking both businesses and individuals to accomplish this,” Inslee added. ****************************** WA Governor Requests Federal Major Disaster Declaration On March 20, Governor Inslee sent a letter to President Trump to request a federal major disaster declaration. “The state urgently requires additional supplemental federal emergency assistance in order to save lives, protect public health and safety, and limit further spread of the disease,” Inslee said. A major disaster declaration approves federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic beginning on January 20, 2020, and continuing. So far, President Trump has only declared that a major disaster exists in the State of New York. ****************************** Department of Health Releases Personal Protective Equipment Distribution Guidelines Personal protective equipment is a scarce resource that is difficult to procure statewide, nationally, and internationally. The state’s prioritization list does not guarantee that every order that meets the priority criteria will be fulfilled, and it does not ensure that complete orders will be fulfilled. The DOH Secretary of Health, State Health Officer, or Unified Command may modify the criteria based on emerging response Full Press Release: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/NewsReleases/2020/PPE-Prioritization-Release.pdf ****************************** Pandemic Stress Disease outbreaks bring feelings of overwhelm, helplessness and worry. Social distancing is absolutely necessary right now to protect ourselves and people we love. And it comes with a cost. It is massively disruptive to our lives and it takes away many of the usual outlets we have for blowing off steam—gyms are closed, bars and restaurants are closed, social media is an incessant reminder of the pandemic. If you have a chronic disease or deal with depression and anxiety on a daily basis, you may be especially stressed right now. And, remember, those helping with the response efforts – nurses, doctors, first responders - are doing so while also worrying about their own health, and their families. So what can we do to cope during this public health emergency?
****************************** Don’t we have any good news? A little! China’s greenhouse gas emissions were down 25% in the last month. The skies in Wuhan are blue. The lack of boat traffic on the canals in Venice has improved the air quality and allowed the sediment in the water to settle. The water in the canals is clear and you can see fish. The carbon monoxide emissions in New York City are down 50% compared to last year this time. Let’s pay attention to what the world looks like when we prioritize the health of our communities, and, when all this is over, let’s come back to the world gently. ****************************** Practice Compassion Coronavirus is an international pandemic. It belongs to the whole world now. Calling COVID-19 the “Chinese virus” or anything else that references China is inappropriate and divisive. ******************************
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October 2021
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