Councilmember Nehring's April Newsletter

Dear North County Neighbors,

This newsletter comes out at a time of great uncertainty amongst one of the most challenging social and economic situations some of us have ever seen. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak has had a direct impact on every one of our lives. This month’s newsletter will discuss the County’s response to COVID-19, updated statistics related to the outbreak, helpful tips in navigating our daily lives, and potential next steps.

I would like to start out by thanking the medical staff, first responders, and grocery and supply chain workers. Our medical system and first responders have never seen a more impactful situation than that caused by COVID-19. The staff in our hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, pharmacies, and public health agencies have done an amazing job responding to this epidemic. The first responders that protect us every day are putting their own lives in even more danger as they continue to respond to calls for service. And those who staff our grocery stores and supply chains are as critical as ever in keeping up with the additional demands created by the uncertainty in this situation. Please join me in thanking these dedicated professionals who continue to provide critical support while many of us are home.

Following the Governor’s declaration of emergency on February 29^th, County Executive Dave Somers issued a local emergency proclamation on March 4^th. These declarations give flexibility in policies and procedures so that we can quickly respond to changing circumstances. Snohomish County has been coordinating closely with the Washington State Department of Health, Governor’s Office, Snohomish Health District, as well as local cities, towns, school districts, and first responders.

Schools and non-essential businesses have been shut down as part of the various directives from the Governor’s Office and local orders. This has been done in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus. While it is likely that many will contract the disease, slowing the spread will allow our medical systems to keep up with the demand rather than being overloaded all at once.

The County has taken certain steps in addition to the Governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order to help prevent the spread of the virus. Many County facilities and buildings have been closed to the public and many employees are working from home. Certain parks have been closed with limited access to others to prevent large group gatherings and lessen the risk of contracting the virus.

The Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) has been activated and has partners from around the County to respond to the growing demands on public health and the healthcare system. Resources from the state and federal governments are being distributed to medical facilities and first responders to ensure that we are able to handle the medical surge associated with COVID-19 and keep those on the front lines of this response safe.

The Snohomish Health District updates the statistics related to COVID-19 once a day during weekdays at 2pm. As of yesterday, March 31st, there were 1,229 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 57 probable cases. Confirmed cases are reported as positive test results come back. Probable cases are reported as cases that are symptomatic and have had close contact with a confirmed case. Of the reported cases, 510 have recovered. Sadly, 33 Snohomish County residents have succumbed to the virus. To keep up-to-date with the statistics, you can visit the Health District's case count information page here.

While certain restrictions have come down from various government entities, the biggest responsibility for fighting this virus falls to each of us individually. Social distancing and personal hygiene are critical to this fight. Social distancing means staying at home if you don’t need to leave and staying at least 6 feet away from others when you do have to leave. Also make sure to wash your hands often, especially after leaving the house or touching high contact surfaces. Residents are urged to do their shopping and necessary errands in as few trips as possible. While staying at home is important, it is also important to get your exercise and go for a walk or bike ride when the weather is nice. Just remember to keep your distance from others if you do go out.

As we adjust our daily lives in fighting COVID-19, make sure to keep in mind the most vulnerable in our community. The elderly and sick are the most susceptible to this disease and many are not leaving the house. Whether you can help with a grocery run or just call to check in, we all can do our part to keep hope alive and take care of those most in need.

It is also important during this time to support local businesses when we can. The closure of many businesses and restrictions on sit-down dining are causing major stress on many of our local businesses. We have heard from many restaurants that they are changing up their business model to allow for more take-out and delivery options. I encourage residents, if they are able, to take advantage of these options to help these businesses stay afloat as we all weather this storm.

We understand the hardship that is falling upon many due to shut downs or slowdowns of businesses. In doing our part to try to alleviate some of this pressure, the County Council partnered with County Executive Dave Somers and County Treasurer Brian Sullivan in writing a letter to Governor Inslee asking him to postpone property tax due dates and waive late fees and penalties. We feel that this is a necessary step to reduce the burden on families and individuals struggling through this pandemic.

I hope this information on COVID-19 was helpful. For more information and to keep up to date on the latest developments related to the response you can visit the County’s COVID-19 page here, the Snohomish Health District’s page here, and the Governor’s page here. Please do not hesitate in reaching out to my office with any questions or concerns at nate.nehring@snoco.org.

Sincerely,

Nate Nehring
Councilman, District 1

Snohomish County Council 3000 Rockefeller Ave., M/S 609 Everett, Washington 98201   8th floor, Robert J. Drewel Building  Phone: 425-388-3494 E-Mail: Nate.Nehring@snoco.org   Russell Wiita, Legislative Aide