County as prepared as can be for Coronavirus

DAYTON-Columbia County Commissioners adopted resolution 2020-16 to release funding to readily respond to any future confirmed cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the county. This comes at the same time Columbia County Public Health Administrator Martha Lanman identifies a presumptive case of the virus to the Commissions. She stated that the case is travel related and not a community spread case, and that the individual is under quarantine.

Washington State now has three testing labs which will accelerate test results sooner. All of the recent presumptive cases reported in Walla Walla have come back negative. Lanman said that Columbia County is taking direction from Washington Department of Health in making all of its local recommendations.

The current recommendations are a common sense approach including frequent hand washing, limiting physical contact when unnecessary, staying home from work, school and events when sick or symptoms of cough or fever are present, covering coughs and sneezes and cleaning surfaces that are frequently touched.

County Commissioners discussed limiting facility use of the County Fairgrounds, but decided to allow events and reservations, leaving it open to rent according to individual discretion. Lanman recommended that the community make these kinds of decisions on an event by event basis. One such event is the upcoming Dayton Chamber of Commerce, Brix and Brew originally scheduled for March 13, 2020, but has now been postponed until May 8, 2020. This was a decision by the event holders. They will honor tickets purchased for the previous date for the postponed date, or offer a refund.

Lanman reported that the Columbia County Health System, including the hospital and staff is as prepared as possible. The hospital has two Intensive Care Units available and ready for any patient needs.

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