Overnight camping to be recommended soon

Clallam County eyeing opening when I-5 counties do, rather than state

Overnight camping on the North Olympic Peninsula could open up by the end of this month if all officials agree, even if the state has not moved into Phase 2 as a whole.

The only Phase 2 activity that is not allowed in either county is overnight camping, due to Jefferson County’s Board of Health decision to not open camping until Clallam County does and the Clallam County Board of Health choice to not open camping until the rest of the state does.

However, Dr. Allison Unthank, Clallam County health officer, is planning to recommend to the Clallam Board of Health to open camping once Pierce, King and Snohomish counties do; those counties recently applied to open camping, Unthank said.

“I anticipate that happening within the next week or so,” said Unthank in regard to the I-5 counties opening overnight camping.

The next Clallam Board of Health meeting is on June 16, Unthank said.

Both counties started the rest of the Phase 2 activities and businesses this week, and officials are continuing to help businesses navigate the state guidelines.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the North Olympic Peninsula held at 58 on Thursday and all those with active cases are recovering at home, health officials said.

One of the recent cases in Clallam County was hospitalized earlier this week, but the person was discharged Thursday, Unthank said.

There are 27 confirmed cases in Clallam County and 31 cases in Jefferson County, officials said. Of those, 25 have recovered in Clallam and 30 have recovered in Jefferson County.

The most recent case in Jefferson County is a child who is asymptomatic and was tested on Sunday before a surgery, said Dr. Tom Locke, Jefferson County health officer.

In quarantine

The contacts of the new cases in both counties have gone into quarantine at their homes and county officials are supporting them, Locke and Unthank said.

Clallam County officials check in with those in quarantine and help get them food, medications and assisting with other tasks such as taking a dog to the vet, Unthank said

“Really anything that comes up from them we try to take care of for them,” Unthank said.

Jefferson County officials also work with those in quarantine and help them in similar ways as Clallam with help from volunteers, said Locke.

“When you’re in quarantine, you can’t go to grocery stores. You need help with things,” Locke said. “People in quarantine are really doing a service for the whole community. They’re sacrificing a couple weeks of their personal liberty in order to prevent the infection in the community.

“At least in my view, we as a community owe them support during that period.”

Some of the close contacts who were moved into quarantine were already tested for COVID-19 and the tests returned negative, but they’re still being kept in quarantine and monitored for symptoms in case testing was done too soon, Unthank said.

“They’re still in the incubation period and it’s possible they were tested too early and could still develop the infection,” she said.

Protesting safely

Both counties have had “Black Lives Matter” protests in response to the death of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis, Minn., police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes, and both health officers support people’s right to protest, but call for people to make sure to be safe while demonstrating.

“We never want to infringe on people’s rights to protest, we just want to help people stay safe,” Unthank said. “So we’re encouraging people who are protesting to wear masks, keep space as much as they can, wash their hands.

“The protests that are happening right now are really important and so we want people to get out there. We just want them to do it as safely as they can.”

________

Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached by email at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

A number of schooners cross the Port Townsend Bay as they take part in the annual Northwest Schooner Cup race during the Wooden Boat Festival on Saturday at Point Hudson Marina. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Schooner Cup

A number of schooners cross the Port Townsend Bay as they take… Continue reading

Highway projects coming to Peninsula

Transportation improvements to span next two years

OlyCAP’s new executive director sets priority of fiscal operations

Morgan to lead agency after coming from Easterseals Washington

Andy Geiger.
Jazz sparks passion for former athletic director

Fat Ferdie the Stolen Sweets to play at annual Harvest of Hope fundraiser

Fire districts to remember, honor lives lost on 9/11

First responders, officials and the public will remember for… Continue reading

Weekly flight operations scheduled

There will be no field carrier landing practice operations for… Continue reading

Peninsula Trails Coalition to host open house Wednesday

The Peninsula Trails Coalition will host an open house at… Continue reading

Isaac Deater of Port Angeles plays guitar as his dog, Mimi, listens in on the sidewalk outside the Port Angeles Farmers Market at The Gateway pavilion on Saturday. Deater was busking for donations on a warm late-summer weekend on the North Olympic Peninsula. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Summer song

Isaac Deater of Port Angeles plays guitar as his dog, Mimi, listens… Continue reading

Port Angeles mandates outdoor water restrictions

The city of Port Angeles has declared a Stage… Continue reading

Ezra Rodriguez, 3, of Forks learns the workings of a bear canister with Olympic National Park Education Technician Christine Whitmarsh at the Peninsula College Fall Spectacular on Saturday in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Fall spectacular

Ezra Rodriguez, 3, of Forks learns the workings of a bear canister… Continue reading

Sequim won’t go for parks district

Council declines vote but may revisit in future

Sequim police serve a search warrant on Aug. 29 at Gold Rush Jewelry and Coin after multiple reports of theft. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim police investigating alleged $100K in theft from gold business

Nineteen people say they have been left without funds