UNIFIED SITUATION REPORT #32

Page 1 of 5

Event Name: BFHD COVID-19

Report Period: 07/29/2020 – 07/31/2020 Mission #: 20-0265 Jurisdictions Impacted:

Benton & Franklin Counties

General Situation/Overview:

On January 21, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Washington State Department of Health announced the first case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States and in Washington State. As of 3/19/2020 a 24, 48, 72-hour planning projection of the response is being done daily. Friday’s planning projection will encompass Saturday and Sunday, then resume normal planning projections on Monday.

Benton and Franklin County At-A-Glance * note a data entry error was made on Tuesday 7/28 SitRep Franklin County #

reported as 3322 should have been 3122

Total Case Count Updated: 12:45 pm 07/31/2020 Benton Franklin

Confirmed* 3466 3249

Deaths** 100 39

*Confirmed: positive test result. **Deaths: BFHD defined a COVID-19 death as someone who died with COVID-19 as their primary

cause of death, meaning they died because of COVID-19. DOH includes people who tested positive for COVID-19 and died, but

may not have died of COVID-19. That’s why the dashboard may show a higher number of deaths than we previously reported.

DOH is currently updating their definition, and in the coming days, the total number of deaths reported on the dashboard may

decrease

City Case Count 07/31/2020 12:45 pm # of Cases Pasco 2853 Eltopia 42

Mesa 63

Connell 213

Kahlotus <10

Kennewick 2060 Richland 688 West Richland 166

Benton City 116 Prosser 326

Plymouth 11

Patterson <10

Current Hospital Status Updated: 12:45 pm 07/31/2020 M-F COVID Like Illness = CLI

# Hospitalized Patients

# COVID-19 Confirmed & CLI

% COVID-19 Confirmed & CLI

Current hospitalized patients 332 59 17.8%

Case Locations of Interest updated 12:45 pm on 07/31/2020

# of Cases

Long Term Care Residents and Staff 462

Please visit Washington State Department of Corrections site for current case counts at Coyote

Ridge Corrections Center. ( https://www.doc.wa.gov/corrections/covid-19/data.htm )

Page 2 of 5

OPERATIONS SECTION:

OUTBREAK MITIGATION: Identify the COVID-19 spread, including clusters; track any lab confirmed cases and determine

potential exposures. Identify the spread of COVID-19 in long-term care and community living facilities and provide infection

control guidance and resources to those facilities. Input data from Epi into existing systems; WDRS and Redcap surveys.

Currently there are 16 confirmed active outbreaks – these outbreaks meet the definition of an outbreak and have

had active cases within the last 28 days. Additionally, there are 8 Long Term Care facilities that have active outbreaks

BFHD Health Officer issued a letter to Benton and Franklin County School Superintendents stating that the case

counts in Benton and Franklin are well above the metrics beings discussed for schools to resume in-person

instruction. Dr. Person stated she does not recommended schools in our area to reopen in the fall with in-person

instruction. A copy of the letter can be found here

https://www.bfhd.wa.gov/programs_services/investigations___outbreaks/c_o_v_i_d-

19/c_o_v_i_d_community_recovery - click on BFHD School Reopening Recommendation (July 28 2020)

Richland, and Kennewick School districts have formally announced on-line, distance learning for return to school in

the Fall.

Over the last 2 weeks there has been approximately 100 school age children who have tested positive for COVID

Working to analyze data from recent Agriculture and H2A housing outbreaks

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CARE COORDINATION:

Care Coordination team continues to reach out to those who have identified the need for assistance (food, hygiene,

rent etc.) while in isolation. The assistance they receive enables them to stay in isolation for the full 10 day as

recommended by the CDC

BFHD received two pallets of individually boxed non-perishable food supplies from Kroger for the care coordination

project helping those in isolation/quarantine

An Online Survey Portal for businesses to report COVID cases at their facilities is available on the BFHD website at

https://redcap.iths.org/surveys/?s=YNJCRHP9F7. A business is required to report if there are 2 or more cases in the

business or there is a risk of COVID spreading in the business

BFHD Community Recovery

Webpage: https://www.bfhd.wa.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=10766056&pageId=16713009

COMMUNITY TESTING:

BFHD will receive 1000 “self-test” kits from Everlywell, a company that provides “at-home” test kits. BFHD has

partnered with Parkview Estates in an exploratory pilot project to determine the ease of use and efficacy of this at-

home test concept.

Planning continues on the feasibility of testing in our area as part of the Health Commons Project (HCP). This project

is modeled on the success of low barrier, high flow testing that is being done in the Seattle area, with the assistance

of the Seattle Fire Department. Further exploration of personnel commitment to the project is needed before a

determination can be made if our area can support this project. The goal is to partner with HPC for initial structure

and set-up of the testing site and then transition to a local operation.

The National Guard and BFHD continues testing at both the Toyota Center in Kennewick (back side accessed from

Grandridge Blvd) and the HAPO Center (TRAC) – No appointments and bring Insurance card - if you have coverage –

if not insurance is not required. These drive thru testing sites are available to all residents and do not require a

physician’s order to receive a test. Those that need a “free” test can still get a test. Both sites will operate Tuesday –

Saturday 0800-1300 for an undetermined amount of time. Testing numbers not available at the time of this SitRep

Publication.

Page 3 of 5

The approximate positivity rate from the National Guard Testing sites is 15% - PLEASE NOTE that if a person has

previously tested positive “re-tests” through the National Guard site and is still positive they are NOT counted as a

new case – this does NOT add to our case count

TRAINING AND VOLUNTEERS Develop and administer volunteer training and coordination to supplement current staff as

needed.

Interested in a paid temporary position with BFHD for Contact Tracing – apply at Express Employment Professionals

Interested in volunteering at BFHD go to: waserv.org

COMMUNITY RELATIONS / PUBLIC INFORMATION: Keep our community informed and educated; providing accurate

information. Maintain our call center and website; providing updated information. Develop and maintain media products for

the weekly press conference.

Beginning August 1st Benton and Franklin have been approved for additional activities as part of the modified Phase 1 the following actives have been added:

o Wineries, breweries, distilleries, taverns and restaurants can now follow Phase 2 guidance with the exception that indoor seating is still not allowed.

o Staffed swimming pools can open for lap swimming and small group swimming lessons in accordance with modified Phase 1 guidance.

o Drive-in movies are allowed without concession stands. Only members of the same household may occupy a vehicle.

o Indoor retail capacity is expanded from 15% to 25% of capacity. o Outdoor religious services are allowed with tents and/or canopies

7/28/20 Governor Inslee has extended the pause indefinitely on counties moving ahead in the Safe Start Washington

Plan

7/30/2020 Governor issues proclamation 20-64 – Contact Tracing and protection of Personal Health Information

https://coronavirus.wa.gov/news/inslee-issues-contact-tracing-proclamation-protects-personal-information

For Situation Awareness and the proximity of Umatilla County, Oregon to the Tri-Cities – Oregon Governor Kate

Brown has issued a “Stay Home Save Lives Order” for Umatilla County effective 12:00 PM today.

Our “Road to Recovery Plan” Plan – click here

https://www.bfhd.wa.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=10766056&pageId=16713009 and click on “Benton and Franklin

Counites Road to Recover Plan”

BFHD updates Website Twitter and Facebook daily

LOGISTICS:

PPE RECEIVING/DISTRIBUTION:

Franklin County distributed 4800 child size masks. 2400 to BFHD WIC Program and 2400 to the Pasco School District

Reduced and Free Lunch Program.

Franklin County distributed 25,000 masks to the Pasco School District for distribution through their Reduced and

Free Lunch Program. These masks are designated for the 200% Federal Poverty level population

Benton County has received an additional 90,000 cloth masks from the state designated for 200% Federal Poverty

Level population these masks along with the 7200 child size masks will be distributed through the following

agencies:

o Kennewick Housing Authority

o School Districts – through the free and reduced lunch programs

o Grocery and convenience stores in lower income Census tract areas

o Low income Apartments – not associated with Section 8 through the housing authority

o BFHD WIC clients

Page 4 of 5

PPE requests from Hospitals/EMS/Law Enforcement/Clinics/LTC/Dentists need to be sent to their respective

Emergency Management no later than 10:00am every Friday or as circumstances dictate – a weekly request will be

made to the state every Friday for delivery of supplies the following week

Benton – d.davis@bces.wa.gov Franklin – sdavis@co.franklin.wa.us

DAILY and FUTURE OPERATIONS:

RECURRING ACTIVITIES:

Daily at 8:00am - Operational Briefing via ZOOM if you would like an invite for this Zoom meeting email Janae Parent

at janaep@bfhd.wa.gov

Daily at 8:30am - info coordination call with PIO and Info group

M-W-F at 10:30am - Local Hospital/Clinic coordination call via ZOOM

Daily at 4:00pm – Planning Meeting via ZOOM – if you would like an invite for this Zoom meeting email Janae Parent

at janaep@bfhd.wa.gov

M-F at 5:00 dissemination of BFHD Incident Action Plan released - on Friday the IAP will be a 3-day IAP encompassing

the weekend plan (Sat, Sun, Mon)

Tuesday at 2:00pm - BFHD hosts local elected officials and decision-makers conference call

Tuesday at 3:00pm - EMS/Fire/Public Health discussion meeting

Tuesday/Friday at 5:00pm - Unified Situational Report (SitRep) released

Tuesday at 2:00 - SEOC Unified Command Ops to BFHD Command Ops meeting

Wednesday at 1:30pm – Call with local agricultural partners

Wednesday at 1:00pm - North Franklin County Community Leadership meeting – call in phone 1-509-545-3555

meeting number: 5847# access code: 3555#

Thursday at 11:00am - BFHD press conference covering the current situation/status and guest speakers will be

included to discuss special topics, when appropriate

Thursday at 11:30am. Coordination call with the WA State EOC 1-877-820-7831, password 782831# - State SitRep is

not produced on the weekends it will be sent M-F only – Call will be reduced to 1 call a week, day/time pending

Thursday at 1:30 - Municipality Advisory Council

Every other Thursday at 2:30pm - call with BFHD and LTC agencies

Every other Friday at 2:00pm – Central and Eastern WA Counties meeting to discuss farmworkers and H2A Housing

communities information/concerns/coordination

FUTURE OPERATIONS:

Implementing guidance from DOH and OSPI for school reopening

Continue planning efforts towards phase 2 re-open of the Tri-Cities

Waiting for notice of continued funding for both National Guard testing sites from the Federal and/or State agencies

CURRENT RISKS:

Heat advisory and safety of National Guard test site personnel

Social impacts from schools not conducting in classroom education

Statewide increase in positive cases

Page 5 of 5

Potential loss of Washington State National Guard assets for Testing Site Missions after August 7th

WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION:

• Benton-Franklin Health District- All News: https://www.bfhd.wa.gov

• Washington State Department of Health: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

• REDI Healthcare Coalition: https://srhd.org/programs-and-services/hcc/eei-

DISTRIBUTED TO:

Local Health Jurisdiction: Management Team, EOC/ECC Staff, all BFHD Staff

Region 8: Local Emergency Response Coordinators, Emergency Management agencies, healthcare partners, Fire/EMS agencies

WA State: Regional Emergency Response Coordinators, DOH Duty Officer

Eastern WA: REDi Coalition Duty Officer

Cross Boarder: Oregon Regions 6 and 9 Liaisons