Precautions amp up as COVID-19 alarm spreads

QUAD CITIES – Last Wednesday, March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 virus outbreak a world pandemic. On Friday. March 13, President Donald Trump declared COVID-19 a national emergency and Washington governor Jay Inslee announced closure of all K-12 schools statewide.
Around the Quad Cities area city and agency officials are taking steps to prepare for whatever actions the current crisis calls for.
● Brewster Mayor Art Smyth called for a special city council meeting on Monday, March 16, to position the city to qualify for emergency federal funds, if needed.
● Pateros Mayor Carlene Anders said the city would address the latest developments in committee and at the regular monthly council meeting that was scheduled for Monday, March 16.
• Okanogan County Public Health
OCPH announced that as of 11 a.m. Friday, March 13, there were no reported COVID-19 cases in Okanogan County and the four COVID-19 tests administered to four residents produced negative results. OCPH also advised that Gov. Inslee has taken the following actions:
● Expanded the prohibition of social, spiritual, and recreational gatherings of more than 250 people to include the entire state of Washington.
• Closed all schools in Washington State (K-12, 2-year, 4-year, community and technical schools) no later than Tuesday March 17, 2020 through at least April 24, 2020
• Churches
Public celebrations of Masses suspended in Diocese of Yakima
Bishop Joseph Tyson has granted a dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass for all parishioners of the Diocese of Yakima, and all travelers within the boundaries of the Diocese on Sundays, for an indefinite time. They are asking pastors to open churches at set times each day for parishioners’ private prayer; scheduled celebrations of Eucharistic Adoration, which could include well-organized and small Eucharistic Processions; and opportunities for private confession

•  Expanded the directive of nursing/assisted living homes to adult family homes
• Meetings cancelled
OMAK - The March 27 meeting of the Okanogan County School Retirees' Association has been canceled as a COVID-19 precaution.
• Okanogan PUD:
Okanogan County PUD staff scheduled a meeting for Monday morning, March 16, to discuss closing all offices to the public effective Tuesday, March 17.
• North Central Regional Library:
North Central Regional Library Executive Director Barbara Walters release a statement on Friday, March 13 stating that effective at 8 p.m., Monday, March 16 all NCRL libraries in Okanogan, Douglas, Chelan, Grant and Ferry counties will close to the public. The closures will remain in effect until at least April 24.
• Chief Joseph Dam
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Aaron Lawrence that effective Saturday, March 14, through April 13, Chief Joseph Dam closed its visitor center to the public.
• Sports
The Wenatchee Central Lions Club Boys and Girls All-Star Basketball game scheduled for March 18 at Wenatchee Valley College has been cancelled. Players from Brewster’s varsity boys’ and girls’ teams were on the roster.
* WVC moves classes online, suspends large on-campus events
Wenatchee Valley College leadership made the decision to move the
majority of classes online through the end of the academic year and to
suspend all on-campus events involving more than 20 people. This
decision affects both the Wenatchee and Omak campuses. At this time,
neither WVC campus will close and most offices will remain open and
operational. Up to date information and news will be posted as it becomes available at wvc.edu/PublicHealth

•• Updates are being announced many times daily. Readers are urged to monitor media this site for breaking news about the latest COVID-19 developments.