By Doug Barker

The Daily World

Key members of the multi-disciplinary team responding to COVID-19 in Grays Harbor County said Friday that they’re going to proceed cautiously and by the book as they consider Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposition that would allow some counties, including Grays Harbor, to reopen segments of their economy faster than the rest of the state.

Inslee said some rural counties that haven’t seen a positive COVID-19 in the past three weeks can ask for a variance allowing them to move more quickly in his four-phase reopening plan. Grays Harbor health officials report 12 cases of COVID-19 so far and no deaths. The number hasn’t changed since April 12. One Community Hospital worker also tested positive, but that person lives outside the county and isn’t included in the Grays Harbor count.

At a Friday afternoon news conference after Inslee laid out some of his plans, Karolyn Holden from Grays Harbor Health, Sheriff Rick Scott and Tom Jensen, CEO of Grays Harbor Community Hospital, told reporters they are expecting specific metrics from Inslee’s office that would have to be met before a variance would be granted. They are part of the large Grays Harbor Public Health Incident Management Team, which is staffed by several local public health, public safety, health care and emergency response personnel. Its activities are directed by the smaller Grays Harbor COVID-19 Policy Group, which includes elected officials.

“We will look at the metrics and the criteria that the governor puts forward in his plan and see how our community stacks up to those metrics and we will make some recommendations based on that,” said Holden.

Jensen seemed confident the hospital is well-prepared. “We definitely have a count on our (personal protective gear)” he said. “Getting back to a new normal is what the county has to focus on. The hospital is ready if we get a surge or not. At this time, it’s been very slow.” He said the hospital is ready to perform elective surgeries again.

Sheriff Scott said that, like everyone, he is looking forward to normalcy, but “we need to move slowly and cautiously.”

“I echo the concerns and caution” stated by Holden and Jensen, the sheriff said. “As Sheriff and the director of county emergency management, my biggest concern is keeping people safe, including my officers and the first responders and in order to do that need to provide adequate PPE (personal protective gear) to our folks.”

Holden said that supply of testing and PPE have not been predictable and is something that has to be dealt with daily. She said they have heard from the state that hundreds more testing kits will be available but “at this moment, we’re having trouble getting our hands on these supplies.” She said they are working with the state and supplying local data and that the way supplies are distributed is changing.

Asked about business segments that might logically open first, Holden said, “We’re really looking at construction, in-home domestic services, hair and nail salons and restaurants at lower capacity.” But she stressed that restrictions on non-essential travel should remain intact — essentially discouraging tourism.

The sheriff said reopenings should be “by degreess, not overnight and to the degree we can do it.”

The county would apply to the state for a variance and must submit a plan addressing four areas.

1. Health care system readiness to provide care for, including critical care, for a large number of people in a short period of time. This includes the availability of adequate beds, ventilators, and PPE.

2. Enough supplies, PPE, and personnel to immediately test everyone with COVID-19 symptoms and those with high-risk exposures.

3. Enough trained staff and volunteers to rapidly isolate people with COVID-19, support their needs while they are in isolation and trace and support quarantine in their close contacts.

4. Enough personnel, PPE, and testing equipment to rapidly respond to outbreaks in congregate living situations such as long term care facilities and homeless shelters.

The Policy Group, with input from the larger group, will decide whether the county applies for a variance, according to a Public Health statement. That group consists of Sheriff Scott, County Commissioner Vickie Raines, County Health Officer Dr. John Bausher, Health Director Karolyn Holden, and Prosecuting Attorney (Chief Civil Deputy) Norma Tillotson.

The Health Department statement said there are several areas of concern that will need to be addressed:

• Local health care facilities are currently unable to get enough PPE through regular or emergency supply chains to resume regular health care activities such as elective surgeries or expanded COVID-19 testing.

• Grays Harbor County Emergency Management is currently unable to acquire adequate testing supplies in a predictable way. The Grays Harbor County Health Officer is currently restricting testing to high priority groups to conserve test supplies until the supply chain opens up.

• Grays Harbor County Public Health lacks an adequate number of trained staff to rapidly isolate and investigate large numbers of new COVID-19 cases.

• The Grays Harbor COVID-19 Policy Group is aware that there are many local people who are fearful that people from more populous areas where COVID-19 is more prevalent will introduce infection into local communities, and the Policy Group is concerned about the effect that those fears and tensions may have on public safety.