Whatcom senior groups detail what they’re doing to prevent coronavirus transmission
At Highgate Senior Living in Bellingham, all visitors are asked if they’re ill with a cough or fever. Have they traveled to one of the countries that’s been a hot bed of the new coronavirus within the past couple of weeks?
A “yes” to either question means they’re turned away as Highgate and others who care for the elderly or oversee places where they gather implement screening and cleaning procedures recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Washington State Department of Health.
As of Friday, March 6, no one in Whatcom County has tested positive for the respiratory illness referred to as COVID-19, amid a widening outbreak in Washington state and the U.S.
Those who come to visit their loved ones at the assisted living and memory care center but can’t come in will instead keep in touch virtually through Facetime and Skype, according to Keith Richstad, executive director for Highgate Senior Living.
Those who are cleared to go past the main entrance as part of a screening process are then taken to a hand-washing station, where staff makes sure they wash their hands, Richstad said.
There’s been no issue with compliance, he said.
“In fact, most people do appreciate the extra precaution being taken right now,” Richstad said.
Other steps include training its 58 employees and 67 residents to take other steps recommended by public health officials that include covering their coughs and sneezes as well as washing their hands frequently with soap and water. Workers also are told to stay home if they don’t feel well.
Highgate also added a full-time housekeeping position to focus on disinfecting all common areas in the facility — doorknobs, keypads, handrails as well as tables and chairs in the dining room, for example — in addition to regular housekeeping disinfecting routines, he said.
Christian Health Care Center, which provides long-term and rehabilitation care in Lynden, also is placing restrictions on visitors and employees.
“Anyone who is sick or who has been exposed to someone who is sick must stay out of the building until well,” it wrote in a message on its website.
And it sought to reassure people about its practices, including disinfection.
“Our daily practice — the way in which we work every day — is designed to minimize the spread of infection, whether of influenza or COVID-19 or anything else,” the center stated.
Facilities also are getting help from the Whatcom County Health Department, including a follow-up to a state webinar for skilled nurse facilities to answer questions at the local level, according to Melissa Morin, spokeswoman for the Whatcom County Health Department.
”Our staff are providing regular guidance through email and phone, consulting with facilities for specific situational questions and needs based on the latest guidance from CDC and DOH,” Morin added.
On Friday, the county health department met with senior centers, homeless service providers, faith-based organizations, libraries and other community agencies to plan for a coordinated response to COVID-19.
In addition to reminding people at the Bellingham Senior Center about the importance of good hygiene and staying home if they’re sick, the organization that oversees the center is working to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in other ways.
For example, the self-serve salad bar for community meals at the Bellingham Senior Center has been removed, said Chris Orr, the executive director for the Whatcom Council on Aging, which runs the center.
Orr said the salads are instead being put on the plates by staff.
Up to 150 seniors show up each day for the community meals.
The Whatcom Council on Aging also is weighing the viability of daily to-go meals that will be picked up should the senior center need to close as the outbreak continues to widen.
“We are also exploring the expansion of our Meals on Wheels home delivery for those in need,” Orr wrote in a letter on the council’s website.
Seniors who have pre-existing conditions or health concerns also are being advised to stay away from community events, Orr said to The Bellingham Herald.
On Friday, the Whatcom County Health Department — noting the “risk of spread is increasing as more cases are confirmed in Washington state” — is asking organizations and event organizers to consider how they could minimize the risk of spreading the infection.
“We recognize that organizations may choose to implement risk-reduction strategies, such as canceling non-essential gatherings or encouraging employees to work from home,” the health department states.
The health department is not yet recommending closures or event cancellations.
Large organizations should consult with the health department before deciding and can do so by contacting its Liaison Officer at health-lofr@co.whatcom.wa.us or by calling 360-778-6000.
COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019, is the name of the disease that first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, before spreading to other countries, including the U.S. It is caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2.
The disease is spread through contact between people within 6 feet of each other — what’s referred to as close contact — especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby.
The CDC says it’s possible to catch COVID-19 by touching something that has the virus on it, and then touching your own face, “but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”
Symptoms may occur two days to two weeks after exposure. The disease is especially dangerous for the elderly and others with weaker immune systems.
So far, more than 101,000 cases have been reported worldwide, with about 3,400 deaths, the vast majority of them in China. In the U.S., at least 275 cases have been reported, including 14 deaths in Washington state out of 79 confirmed cases as of Friday.
The confirmed cases in Washington state were in King, Snohomish, Grant and Jefferson counties.
Stay informed
▪ https://whatcomcounty.us/ncov. Email general questions about COVID-19 in Whatcom County to covid@co.whatcom.wa.us.
▪ doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus. Call a hotline at 1-800-525-0127 and then press # for questions about what is happening in Washington state, how the virus spreads, and what to do if you have symptoms.
▪ cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
▪ cob.org/services/safety/emergencies/Pages/covid-19.aspx
