 As you know, our region has been impacted by the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Our hearts break for those who have been directly impacted, and I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of those who have died. We feel for all of those experiencing anxiety due to the outbreak of this disease in our community.We want to reassure everyone that we are following the lead of our public health professionals and taking every step necessary to slow the spread of the disease.
I wanted to let you know what we have been doing since the first case was announced on January 21, 2020. While the Snohomish Health District takes the lead on infectious disease outbreaks, the county has important roles to play. When first responders learned about the original case, our Department of Emergency Management (DEM) immediately jumped into action and helped with the coordination needed to isolate and transport the patient. DEM has been engaged since then, ensuring communications were facilitated and providing support to any impacted institutions or agencies needing it. Last week, we partially activated our Emergency Coordination Center to provide more intensive support to those cities and organizations most directly involved with the outbreak. And on Wednesday, I signed a Declaration of Emergency to provide us more flexibility during this challenge. We now will be able to more quickly purchase supplies, ensuring our first responders and other essential staff have the personal protection equipment they need.
I know this is not an easy time for our community, but I also know that we are resilient. We have been through tough times before. There are a number of things that we can do to protect ourselves. If you are a member of a vulnerable group—either over 60 or with underlying health conditions—you should avoid crowds, practice social distancing, and be rigorous about hand washing. Everyone should wash hands, avoid touching your face, and try to avoid crowds. Most importantly, stay home if you are sick or having any symptoms of a cold or flu!
If you want to learn more, please go here to get the latest recommendations. Most people who get COVID-19 have symptoms that are similar to a cold or mild flu. Let’s all follow the recommendations of our public health professionals, and we’ll limit the spread of the disease and keep our community healthy.
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