In this section we are providing a summary of the current changes in the Situation Report.  For a PDF of the full Situation Report click on the link to the right.

Summary for April 6, 2020:

·         Vashon schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year. The decision came in a news conference by Governor Jay Inslee and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal this afternoon. Online instruction will continue until the end of the regular school year.

·         The Vashon Covid-19 Testing Project will provide access to COVID-19 testing for Vashon residents whose medical care provider – on or off island - has referred them for a test. Testing will start April 7^th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays as the availability of testing materials allows.  The testing will use a simplified procedure that minimizes exposure of patients and volunteer staff.  Find details at https://testing.vashonbeprepared.org/.

·         NeighborCare Health at Vashon began offering testing for suspected COVID-19 infection today.  The respiratory care is being provided in outdoor tents to allow the clinic to continue other health care service.  Testing requires an appointment.  Call first at 206-463-3671, or visit https://neighborcare.org/coronavirus/

·         The medical professionals of Vashon Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) have recommended against establishing an on-island care center for COVID-19 patients.  In the recommendation they concluded that the island lacks what is needed for such a center, including available doctors, other health-care workers, and necessary supplies and equipment. Read the full report at: https://vashonbeprepared.org/MRC-CarePlan.pdf

·         King County Metro has announced new service reductions starting today, Monday April 6^{th .}These service changes will impact Vashon’s bus routes with 2 or fewer trips cut on routes 118 and 119.  Water Taxi service has been reduced to one trip per rush hour.   Check for canceled trips

·         Washington State Department of Health has recommended the use of cloth face coverings in addition to social distancing and proper hygiene to reduce the transmission of the COVID-19 virus, synchronizing with a new recommendation from CDC.  Read the complete guidance: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/ClothFacemasks.pdf

·         CDC has published instructions on how to make and properly use cloth face masks.  Read the full instructions at https://publichealthinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/DIY-cloth-face-covering-instructions-CDC.pdf  Also see step by step instructions from the New York Times, NYT-Cloth Masks

·         The video of the weekend briefing and town hall has been posted for viewing on VoiceOfVashon.org. An estimated 1,000 people viewed the event live. The event was produced by VashonBePrepared, Vashon Island Fire & Rescue, Voice of Vashon and Backbone Campaign.

·         The Chamber of Commerce webinar series, Chamber Chat, will next be held on tomorrow, April 7th from 9-9:45am. Tuesday's topic is An Accountant’s Perspective on Payroll, FMLA and SBA Loans with Chris Hunt.  For more information or to register visit https://www.vashonchamber.com/.  On Thursday April 9^th the topic will be Setting Up an Online Store & Getting the Word Out w/ Katie Hermanns.

·         The Vashon Food Bank has new hours.  Grocery pick-up will be Wed only from 10-2 and 4-7, during which time customers can fill out an order form that will be packed inside the Food Bank by staff and volunteers. Customers are encouraged to fill out their order and wait in their car until their groceries are packed. For those who arrive on foot, the Food Bank has outdoor seating where customers can wait at an appropriate distance from one another. Staff and volunteers who are packing bags follow stringent sanitation protocols. Home deliveries will be made throughout the day on Thursday only from 11-6. For delivery call 206-463-6332.

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·         EOC Operations:  Today is the 25th day of our activation. Volunteers this past week contributed 848 hours to the current total volunteer hours to date of 2,575. Please note that the count of hours is not completed and that it does not include volunteer hours by partners such as the Food Bank. Incident command objectives for this operational period have been updated to reflect a potential surge in needs as the trend line of COVID-19 infections climbs to a projected peak later this month.

·         Household & Neighborhoods Support Branch: Food scale-up planning and support efforts continue, informed by updates from social service agencies and programs already providing community food support. Planning to support the anticipated need for increased in-home care is also progressing. In addition, new needs have been included in planning,  particularly for folks who are living homeless and/or food-insecure. This week's objectives include a proposal for providing internet access for folks who have lost it due to library closure, and plans for creating a central helpline for folks who may not have digital access, who may need referrals to local and regional resources of all kinds.

·         Medical Support Branch: Completed two dry run tests of the new COVID-19 testing that begins tomorrow afternoon and results were good. Collaboration continues with VIFR on contingency plans for a situation where the number of patients exceeds ambulance capacity.

·         Business Support Branch: Planning has begun to explore the possibility of setting up a free business consulting service that would help business owners identify business relief resources and assist them in filing applications. Opened collaboration communications with new efforts for small group business roundtables to share lessons learned about surviving the virus crisis. Work has begun with the IsleGive coalition to customize business relief opportunities to needs of nonprofits.

·         Community Engagement Branch: Compiling after action assessments of the briefing and town hall held on Saturday morning. Planning has begun for a second event, possibly in two weeks. An initial assessment has begun for a possible fundraising effort that would support island food and shelter needs exacerbated by the virus crisis.