Hood River County will be closing its office doors to the public effective Tuesday.  County departments will continue to do business but by appointment only and by phone or email to the extent possible.  Social distancing measures will be strictly adhered to.  For the past two weeks most, county departments have been operating in this manner, short of having the doors locked.  This directive will extend until such time as conditions exist to allow the County to reopen its facilities to the public.  County Administrator Jeff Hecksel indicated as the response to this pandemic evolves, the County will need to continue to adjust, and there will likely be further changes.  Visit the Hood River County website for county department contact information.

Governor Kate Brown ordered Oregonians to stay home Monday and banned all non-essential gatherings and travel to try to slow the spread of the new coronavirus after crowds of people descended on the state’s beach towns and hiking trails over the weekend despite pleas to stay home.  The crowds prompted several coastal towns to order non-residents out and shut down hotels and short-term rentals. More than two dozen mayors of cities in the Portland metropolitan area also petitioned Brown over the weekend to take stricter action on social distancing.  Brown said she was particularly upset to see Oregonians flocking to places such as Smith Rock State Park and the Columbia River Gorge.

 

Oregon has had five deaths from COVID-19 and 191 confirmed cases, including 30 new cases which were reported by the Oregon Health Authority, one of which was in Hood River County, which the County’s Public Health Department had confirmed on Sunday.

 

Brown’s order closes businesses where close personal contact is unavoidable, such as arcades, barber shops, hair salons, nail salons, gyms and fitness studios, skating rinks, theaters and yoga studios. Also closed are outdoor playgrounds, sport courts and public and private campgrounds. It also closes malls and retail complexes, bowling alleys, pool halls, swimming pools and amusement parks.

 

Essential retail businesses that remain open, such as grocery stores and pharmacies, bu Brown says they must enforce social distancing measures of six feet or more between customers. Bars, restaurants and coffee shops can continue to serve takeout and delivery, but will remain closed for dine-in service.

 

Hiking trails will remain open but the order gives the state authority to close them immediately if crowds of people show up that prevent social distancing of six feet.

 

Violation of the order is a misdemeanor, although state officials said they were relying on Oregonians to comply on their own.

 

The order also outlines new guidelines for child care facilities. Day cares must keep children in groups of 10 or fewer students to limit the number of contacts. Day care facilities that remain open must also prioritize the children of first responders, doctors, nurses and other critical medical workers when accepting children for care.

Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital is implementing an “entry control point” process and limiting access to the hospital to three doors.  Caregivers will take the temperature of every person who enters the facility to prevent individuals with temperatures over 100.4 degrees from entering.   Please use the main lobby, ER or Cancer Center doors for entry.  After the temperature scan, entrants will have a sticker with the date to wear throughout the day.  All caregivers are asked to use one of our three entrances.   The hospital is also beginning to assemble its surge tent, in case it is necessary for future use. 

All City of The Dalles Offices are closed as of Monday at 5:00pm until further notice.  This includes walk in traffic to the Police Department.  All essential services for the health and wellbeing of the public will continue.  In case of a Water or Sewer Emergency please call 541-980-980-7703.  City staff will be working remotely and responding to voicemails and email.  Please check the City’s website for a list of emails and phone numbers by department at www.thedalles.org. Parking tickets and Municipal Court fines can be made online at https://www.thedalles.org/OnlinePayments.  Anyone unable to make a payment due to the virus or office closures can defer through the end of the state of emergency with no penalty, interest or charges.  All utilities and other services will continue regardless of a customer’s ability to make payment.  During this time, there will be no Municipal Court appearances.  Water & Sewer billing can be paid online at thedalles.org/OnlinePayments.  If you need assistance please call 541-296-5481 ext 1111 and leave a message.

Klickitat County Emergency Management Director Jeff King says he believes the County has been working for weeks to be ready for a potential surge in COVID-19 cases, and is better off than most counties as far as the supplies that are needed for medical personnel to deal with it.  King says the County’s Emergency Operations Center has been coordinating communication with hospitals, medical clinics, and the County Public Health Department for weeks, and they have been managing and accumulating personal protective equipment during that time.  King added Klickitat County’s business community has come together to help support first responders and medical staff to ensure they are protected.  He also said those who would like to donate can contact the Klickitat County Emergency Operations Center at 509-773-0570.

Columbia Gorge Community College will be delivering all instruction solely on-line beginning on April 6, when spring term begins.  Oregon Governor Kate Brown is prohibiting colleges from conducting in-person instruction through April 28, and only critical functions may continue.  All CGCC campus buildings are now closed to public access.  One exception is for students who need Internet access.  CGCC President Dr. Marta Cronin says they will have one computer lab in The Dalles for students who have limited access at home, and an employee will ensure students are adequately distanced from one another and that all equipment is wiped down after each use.  All CGCC community education classes through April are cancelled except for those on-line.   On-line library resources are available through www.cgcc.edu/library.  Tutoring is still available virtually through email, Zoom and other virtual tools.  The school will post updates at cgcc.edu.

The Gorge Community Foundation’s board of directors has announced that 2020 grants from the Joan Burchell Fund will be dedicated to addressing issues of food insecurity throughout the Columbia River Gorge exacerbated by the necessary response to the coronavirus pandemic.  Foundation Executive Director Jill Burnette says it is a one-time decision to help communities protect their most vulnerable citizens.  Organizations that provide meals or access to safe, healthy food for children, families and seniors are invited to apply for funding.  Application information is available at gorgecf.org.  Applications are due by April 15.  Total funds available in this grant cycle is $13,340 and proposals will be accepted for any amount up to that total.

The Hood River County Health Department on Sunday afternoon announced that the first COVID-19 case has been identified in a County resident.  Hood River County Health Department Director Patricia Elliott has not released many details on the case, citing adherence to national standards on personal health information, but said on Mid-Columbia Today this morning if health officials had concerns the case would raise risks for the public’s health in general, they would release more information.  She did say they have done contact investigation, and this person has been in home isolation with very minimal contact with others, who are also staying home.  Elliott said local medical providers are being very selective about who they test for COVID-19 and ruling out other diseases first, but she added more and more test results are being announced every day, noting they’ve received numbers of negative tests come back.  She also says they’ve applied for personal protective equipment from the strategic national stockpile, and it is slowly coming in and being distributed to providers based on need.  Elliott added the County is working on a process to accept donations of personal protective equipment, and more information will be available soon.  The Oregon Health Authority Monday afternoon confirmed 30 new cases of COVID-19, including the Hood River County case, to bring the statewide total to 191.

A unified COVID-19 command of government officials, first responders, and health experts has been put together to coordinate plans, supplies and resources for Wasco, Gilliam and Sherman Counties.  Wasco County Emergency Management, Wasco County Sheriff’s Department, City of The Dalles, North Central Public Health District and Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue are the main partner, and will be working to share the most current information available.  The unified command says residents can call 211 for general information about COVID-19, and for information about efforts in Wasco, Sherman and Gilliam Counties contact their COVID-19 Joint Information Center at 541-370-1380.  For medical questions about COVID-19, call 541-464-6550 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., seven days a week.  If you are experiencing symptoms that involve fever, cough or shortness of breath, contact your primary care provider, and only use 911 for emergencies.  Follow “Wasco County, Oregon – COVID 19 Information Center” on Facebook for the latest local information.

The Klickitat County Public Health Department on Saturday confirmed the third and fourth cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).  Klickitat County Emergency Management said in a statement that both cases are a potential for community spread in the central region of Klickitat County.  If you display symptoms of Covid-19, including fever of over 100.4 degrees, cough, or shortness of breath, please contact your healthcare provider or the Klickitat Valley Hospital Nurse Helpline at 509-773-4029.  The Klickitat County Emergency Operations Center along with the Klickitat County Health Department is working with the Washington State Department of Health, Local Medical Providers, and Emergency Management to identify and contact all those who may have come in contact with the confirmed cases.  Those individuals will be monitored for fever and respiratory symptoms.  Resources available within Klickitat County include the Skyline Hospital screening tool available on their website at myskylinehealth.org and the KVH Nurse Helpline at 509-773-4029.  Oregon reported 23 additional cases on Saturday to bring the stateide total to 137, plus a fourth death.  There have been no cases reported in Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, or Skamania counties.