How Thurston County is preparing for COVID-19, as cases in Washington rise
In a county meeting room that smelled strongly of sanitizing wipes Tuesday morning, Schelli Slaughter, Director of Thurston County Public Health and Social Services, gave commissioners a local update on the spread of COVID-19, or novel coronavirus.
She had some good news: “In Thurston County, we have no confirmed new cases of COVID-19,” she said. “We do not have any persons under investigation in Thurston County.”
But, the situation is rapidly changing. She said the public health strategy has “shifted from containment to preparing for continued spread.”
In Washington, there were 27 positive cases in the Department of Health’s Tuesday count — 21 in King County and six in Snohomish — and nine deaths. That’s up from 18 cases and six deaths reported in Monday’s count. The state Health department plans to continue updating its numbers at about 11 a.m. each day on its website.
A person whose home is in Thurston County tested positive while traveling, Slaughter told The Olympian, and health officials have released that person to home isolation. There’s no concern to the public when a person is isolated or quarantined at home, Slaughter said.
When a person is suspected of having COVID-19 and meets testing criteria, then a test is sent to a lab, and that person is considered a “person under investigation,” Slaughter said. The county has had “persons under investigation,” but all of their test results have come back negative, according to Slaughter.
That’s been the case, in general, she said — that there have been more negative results than positive — but she expects more positive results as testing capabilities expand. And because experts believe many people with COVID-19 may not exhibit symptoms, she acknowledged there could be people sick here.
“We believe the risk to Thurston County is low,” Slaughter told The Olympian in an interview. “We want people to remain calm and prepare as they would for any kind of emergency. COVID-19 has spread in Washington state, it will likely continue to do so, and Thurston County Public Health is doing everything we can to share timely and accurate information with the public.”
The department is consulting facilities such as long-term care facilities, health care facilities, and jails, and providing them information as it’s requested, she said. It’s also working to develop outreach plans for unsheltered people who don’t have access to basic sanitation — to get them hand sanitizer and information needed to protect themselves, she said.
Part of the intent of quarantine and isolation sites such as the one the state set up at Maple Lane in south Thurston County is for people to have a safe place to go, she said.
Former Thurston County Health Officer Dr. Rachel Wood left her post in November and the county launched a nationwide search for a new health officer to step into her place. No replacement has yet been hired, so State Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy and Dr. Scott Lindquist, State Epidemiologist for Communicable Diseases, have been supporting Thurston County’s response.
Slaughter hopes to bring on a temporary health officer to handle the local COVID-19 response soon.
As of Tuesday, Public Health was not recommending canceling events or activities or closing any area schools. However, it recommended taking these typical measures to prevent the spread of viral illness:
- Washing your hands often;
- Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands;
- Avoiding contact with people who are sick;
- Staying at home while sick;
- Sanitizing surfaces;
- Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
And, Slaughter says, don’t buy masks in order to conserve masks for health care providers and those who are ill.
If and when a Thurston County resident tests positive for COVID-19, Slaughter said county Public Health’s website will have the latest information: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/phss/Pages/coronavirus.aspx.
Commissioner John Hutchings said today he’s requested briefings like the one Tuesday morning to occur at the commission’s weekly agenda-setting meetings until the concern subsides. Those meetings are streamed live and posted on the county’s Youtube channel.
This story was originally published March 3, 2020 at 2:23 PM.
.jpg)