Mike Maltais, Staff writer
OKANOGAN – With nine Washington counties, seven of them in the eastern half of the state, approved for Phase 2 of Governor Jay Inslee’s Safe Start plan, Okanogan County is working closely with the county’s public health board on its plan to apply for its own Phase 2 variance.
“To apply for a variance, counties must have a population of less than 75,000 and no new cases of COVID-19 in the last three weeks,” a May 15 media release from the Washington Department of Health said. “The application process requires support from the local health officer, the local board of health, local hospitals, and the county commission/council.”
Okanogan County with a population of 42,000-plus per the most recent 2018 census qualifies on the first point. However, with 39 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported by Okanogan County Emergency Management as of Friday, May 15, the 12-case increase from May 8, just one week ago finds the county coming up short on the second point.
The DOH release adds that each county must provide adequate local hospital bed capacity and ample PPE supplies for the safety of health care workers. The variance application must also include plans for:
• Making testing available and accessible to everyone in the county with symptoms.
• Staffing case investigations and contact tracing.
• Housing people in isolation or quarantine who cannot or do not want to do so at home.
• Providing case management services to those in isolation and quarantine.
• Responding rapidly to outbreaks in congregate settings.
“The county is working on a way that would help all the people, business owners included, be on the same page with what is needed to move to the next Phase,” said Lalena Johns, Clerk of the Board of Okanogan County Commissioners. “It will take a concerted effort to reduce our numbers, put into place and follow an acceptable plan, and convince the public health officials that we are ready.”
Despite a letter written to Gov. Inslee on April 29 – reprinted on Page 1 of The Quad’s May 6 issue – advising the governor that county businesses were actively preparing to open early this month, the county commissioners must be thoughtful as they negotiate a path between frustrated citizens and business owners and the governor’s Safe Start plan mandates.
“The county depends on the state for various grants and funding to operate, provide services, and pay for programs,” said Johns. “If the county moved ahead with opening without regards to the Governor’s orders and plan, it would be irresponsible of the commissioners to do so knowing the impacts it would create down the road for many of the programs our citizens depend on.”
A share of funds – nearly $80,000 - recently allotted to Okanogan County from the state’s newly launched Working Washington State Emergency Grant Program reported elsewhere in this paper (see: Economic Alliance, TwispWorks collaborate on new grant) is just one example of that financial support).
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