Cowlitz County commissioners, tired of waiting for word from the state on when the county can reopen, are pressing the state Secretary of Health John Wiesman for answers.
The commissioners in their role as the Board of Health on Friday approved a letter to Wiesman requesting guidance on how the county can submit applications to advance through Gov. Jay Inslee’s phased reopening plan.
“As we ask the public to continue with physical distancing, consistent mask use and avoiding large gatherings, it will be helpful for us to be able to communicate clear goals that we are working towards,” the commissioners wrote Wiesman. “The previous metrics provided those goals, with the advancement in phases.”
“It would be beneficial to know how those metrics will be updated for future phase applications.”
Dr. Steve Krager, county deputy health officer, suggested the letter Wednesday, after the county commissioners directed his health department to draft an application to move to Phase 3 of the “Safe Start Washington” reopening plan.
Cowlitz County applied to advance to a modified Phase 3 on June 18. As COVID-19 cases grew, the Secretary of Health and governor paused all counties from moving forward on July 2. Cowlitz County’s application was returned on July 20.
The county has been in Phase 2 for more than three months “without indication from the state about how and when we might expect to move toward further re-opening,” the commissioners’ letter says.
Previously, the state looked at the rate of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the last 14 days, as well as virus hospitalizations, hospital capacity, testing availability and case investigation capacity.
Cowlitz County’s COVID-19 case rate has decreased since peaking in early-mid July, according to the health department.
Hospitalizations also peaked in July and have remained at a low level recently, according to the letter. Throughout the pandemic the county has had no evidence of virus transmission in long-term care facilities, the letter says.
The county reported two new COVID-19 cases Thursday and two Friday, bringing the total to 577. As of Friday, 500 of the cases were considered recovered, according to the health department. Two virus patients are currently hospitalized outside the county. Cowlitz County has recorded six COVID-19 deaths and the death of a COVID-19 patient not caused by the virus.
“The open-ended restrictions have come at a significant cost to local businesses,” the letter says. “The Board of Health and the health officer continue to try and responsibly balance the necessary response to the pandemic with these associated costs to the community, however, we cannot continue to do so without guidance from the state clarifying a process for reopening our local economy.”
