Updates

March 18 - Two new Whatcom COVID-19 cases brings total to 7

Two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Whatcom County brings the total to seven. That is as of noon on March 18, when the Whatcom County Health Department published its daily update. At that time, 209 people in the county had tested negative for the new coronavirus.

Read more here: https://www.thenorthernlight.com/stories/two-new-whatcom-covid-19-cases-brings-total-to-7,9866

March 16  - SBA offers disaster assistance to Washington small businesses impacted by the coronavirus

The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses in Washington suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza announced today. SBA acted under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by President Trump, to declare a disaster following a request received from governor Jay Inslee on March 13.

Read more here: https://www.thenorthernlight.com/stories/sba-offers-disaster-assistance-to-washington-small-businesses-impacted-by-the-coronavirus,9827

March 16 - Governor orders restaurants, bars and entertainment facilities statewide to close

All bars, restaurants, entertainment and recreational facilities statewide must shut down, Washington governor Jay Inslee announced on March 15, as statewide confirmed COVID-19 cases climbed to 769 and the death toll reached 42. That’s an increase of 127 cases and two deaths from the day before. Additionally, the governor prohibited all gatherings of more than 50 people.

Inslee said at a March 16 press conference that he planned to sign the order later in the day and that it would last for two weeks, but could be extended.

Read more here: https://www.thenorthernlight.com/stories/governor-orders-restaurants-bars-and-entertainment-facilities-statewide-to-close,9826

March 16 - Canada to bar entry to travelers who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents; U.S. citizens currently exempt

Canada is barring entry to all travelers who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau announced on March 16.

There will be exceptions for air crew, diplomats, immediate family members of Canadian citizens and, “at this time,” U.S. citizens, Trudeau said, according to a CBC News report.

Read more here: https://www.thenorthernlight.com/stories/canada-to-bar-entry-to-travelers-who-are-not-canadian-citizens-or-permanent-residents,9825

March 13 - Federal and provincial health authorities have called upon Canadians to refrain from non-essential travel out of the country

B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has called on B.C. residents to stay in Canada and to not travel abroad or to the U.S. unless it’s deemed essential. Henry issued the voluntary order on Thursday during a daily coronavirus briefing held with B.C. Minister of Health Adrian Dix in Vancouver. Henry reiterated the order during Friday’s briefing while announcing that the province had 11 new cases of Covid-19 bringing the total to 64 cases.

Read more here: https://www.thenorthernlight.com/stories/federal-and-provincial-health-authorities-have-called-upon-canadians-to-refrain-from-non-essential,9824

March 13 - City manager issues proclamation declaring emergency related to COVID-19

On the afternoon of March 13, Blaine city manager Michael Jones issued a proclamation declaring a state of emergency related to the COVID-19 outbreak. The proclamation allows the city to modify policies and procedures so that the city can move more quickly and efficiently to address issues presented by the outbreak as they arise.

Read more here: https://www.thenorthernlight.com/stories/city-manager-issues-proclamation-declaring-emergency-related-to-covid-19,9823

March 13 - Blaine school district prepares to serve community during 6-week break

All Blaine schools will be closed from Monday, March 16, through at least Friday, April 24, school district superintendent Christopher Granger said. On March 13, the district was preparing a plan for providing food and childcare services to the school community, as mandated by governor Jay Inslee at a press conference earlier in the day.

“Right now we’re working on plans to provide nutrition for children 0-18 and childcare for health care workers and first responders,” Granger said. “We will be releasing more information on that as soon as its ready.”

Those services will start no later than Monday, March 23, and will include food delivery to some areas including Point Roberts, Granger said. The length of closure is unprecedented.

“In the next six weeks we are going to wrap our arms around the community and provide the things that we know are important,” Granger said. “This is a unique time in the world and we’re responding in unique ways and we need to support our community.”

The school district will post updates at blainesd.org

March 13 - Gatherings of more than 250 banned throughout state

In addition to mandating statewide school closures throughout Washington state, Washington governor Jay Inslee expanded his prohibition on gatherings of more than 250 people statewide.

That mandate previously applied only in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.

“We know that COVID-19 is at least 10 times more dangerous than the flu. Anything less than strong action against all of us is not appropriate or up to the task that we face at this moment as a state,” Inslee said at a March 13 news conference.

March 13 - Governor closes all K-12 schools in Washington state

After closing all K-12 schools in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties on March 12, Washington governor Jay Inslee announced on March 13 that he would close all K-12 schools in the state through at least Friday, April 24.

The closure starts Tuesday, March 17.

Inslee annoucned that schools would need to continue to provide critical services during this break, including nutrition assistance for students who need it as well as child care, particularly for health care workers, emergency personnel and low income families.

“We simple cannot have nurses leaving hospitals when thye become deluged with pateitnes, to do childcare, and some with first responders,” Inslee said.

Districts will need to work out how to provide these services largely on their own. Inslee encouraged people to take on a wartime mindset and realize that they will have to endure disruptions to daily routines to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Inslee said on March 12 that the amount of infected people is doubling daily, and unchecked, there could be 64,000 cases in the state in five weeks.

March 12 - Blaine Senior Center closes indefinitely

The Blaine Senior Center closed indefinitely starting on March 12. “While we have not been instructed to close, we feel it is our responsibility to protect our at-risk population by limiting interaction at this time,” said senior center director Kathy Sitker in a March 12 email.

In her email, Sitker said that there are currently no changes to the Meals on Wheels program. “The daily hot meal delivery will continue, Monday through Friday, and frozen weekend meals for Meals on Wheels clients if staffing and volunteer capacity allows,” Sitker said. If you are age 60 or older, homebound and in need of meals, please call 360/746-6480 or complete a request form online at whatcomcoa.org/request-meals.

The center’s congregate lunch program (in-house lunch service) will also continue Monday through Friday. You may come to the center to pick up a meal packaged to go between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Please use the G Street entrance only. If you have any questions, please call the center at 360/332-8040.