5.18.2021
COUPEVILLE, WA:
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that if a person has been fully vaccinated (two weeks following your second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two weeks following your Johnson & Johnson vaccine dose) then you can resume pre-pandemic activities. This broad statement included activities like no longer wearing a mask or socially distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidelines. WhidbeyHealth would like to provide the following statement and clarification to the CDC’s announcement and provide guidance to our community regarding how Washington will move forward.
WhidbeyHealth Medical Center, our Primary Care, Specialty Care, Walk-In Clinics, and Emergency Medical Services will continue to require masking and maintaining appropriate distancing until we publicly announce otherwise. Regardless of a person’s vaccination status, we will require every individual entering our facility to submit to temperature monitoring prior to entrance, and to remain masked and socially distanced for the duration of their time seeking and receiving care. We are confident that these continued preventative measures will protect our patients and staff from exposure. As a result of our community’s commitment to masking, socially distancing and vaccinations, WhidbeyHealth has eased our visitor restriction to allow entry of one (1) support person per patient for clinical visits. Additionally, our Gift Shop and West Wind Café have been opened to permitted support persons. For additional information regarding WhidbeyHealth’s pandemic visitor and support person policy you can find additional information here: https://whidbeyhealth.org/covid-19. WhidbeyHealth will continue to conscientiously review positive COVID case counts, rates of vaccine administration, COVID-related hospitalizations (in our county and across the State), and ICU admissions. As we look to further ease visitor restrictions in the coming months, we will continue to need our community’s support – to wear masks, socially distance and get vaccinated.
Gov. Jay Inslee announced May 13, 2021, that the state is moving toward a statewide June 30th reopening date and that all counties in Washington will move to Phase 3 of the Healthy WA: Roadmap to Recovery reopening plan. “The full reopening plan could happen earlier than June 30th if 70% or more Washingtonians over the age of 16 initiate vaccination. Washington has currently administered vaccine to 56% of residents over the age of 18,” Inslee state. “Washington will full adopt the masking guidance issued by the CDC,” stressing that this guidance is for fully vaccinated people only. Until June 30th or such a time as the State of Washington announces that means for limiting exposure during the pandemic is no longer required, all mask wearing, and social distancing measures remain in effect.
Stay connected with us for current information at https://www.facebook.com/WhidbeyHealth.