PORT ANGELES – Gov. Inslee has changed the criteria for eligibility of counties to apply for Phase 2 of his reopening plan, making Clallam County very near to being eligible.
Inslee announced Tuesday that counties with fewer than 10 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents over a 14-day period are now eligible to apply.
Based on that criteria, other newly eligible counties in the Olympic Peninsula/Puget Sound area that can apply for Phase 2 include: Adams, Mason, Thurston, Kitsap, Island, and San Juan.
The application process comes with some additional requirements that counties must meet, so we checked in with County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry Unthank to find out where we stand as far as those other elements.
“There are a couple of other things that we have to be able to assert in order to move to Phase 2. One is that we have to assert that all of our hospitals have bed capacity and PPE to treat a covid-19 surge. I think we’re close on that. PPE certainly has consistently been a challenge, but I think we’re quite close on that. The other thing that we would need to be able to assert is that we have the staff to be able to perform rapid outbreak investigations in congregate living situations and workplaces, and that is a place where I am not sure we are ready.”
Unthank says in order to be ready for such a surge in cases, the Health Department would need to hire a few more people, and just yesterday the Board of Commissioners approved the funding to do so.
Applicants are now being sought for the positions of Public Health Nurse, Public Health Worker and a Covid-19 Information Coordinator. Unthank says those listings will be posted on the County website by the end of the week.
In terms of timing for getting the variance to move into Phase 2, here’s what’s needed. A recommendation from Health Officer Unthank, approval from the Board of Health, and approval from County Commissioners.
“So as soon as we have those staff members ready and trained and we feel like we could respond to an outbreak, which hopefully will be in the next couple weeks, then I would make the recommendation to the Board of Health and the Board of Commissioners. And then if both of those boards agreed and voted in favor of moving to Phase 2, then we could do it.”
Phase 2 would allow barbershops and salons to reopen along with restaurants at 50% capacity and tables of five people or less. Pet services, including grooming, could resume. Some professional services could also resume, although teleworking will still be encouraged.
(Graphic courtesy of Governor’s Office)