Submitted by Lewis County
T
he Lewis County Board of County Commissioners has approved the closure of most county offices to the general public effective at noon, March 18, 2020. The Old Historic Courthouse will remain open until 5:00 p.m., March 18, 2020.
“Based on the most recent information from federal, state, and our local health officials, the Commissioners believe this action is in the best interests of our employees and the general public,” County Manager Erik Martin said. The closure will be in effect until the close of business on April 3, 2020. The Commissioners will be monitoring the disease situation and evaluating closure status between now and April 3.
Most services that people routinely visit county offices for can also be accessed online or remotely from outside buildings. The webpage https://lewiscountywa.gov/covid19/ has details on how to continue accessing services for all county departments during this time. The page also has a link to the Lewis County Public Health & Social Services COVID-19 page with local information and links to expert guidance on protecting yourself and loved ones.
County leaders are monitoring the disease progress in Lewis County and around the region, with the intent of returning to “business as usual” as soon as it is safely possible. In the meantime, they urge all county residents to take care of themselves.
Lewis County Health Officer Dr. Rachel Wood said, “Senior citizens or other medically vulnerable individuals should pay special attention to all recommendations and take special care to avoid risks.” She advises senior citizens and the medically vulnerable to reach out to family, friends and neighbors for help to avoid unnecessary exposure. Likewise, Dr. Wood said, if you are not in a high-risk group, reach out to your family and friends who may be at high risk and see if there is something they need. “We all need to help and support each other right now,” she said.
This situation is very disrupting to our normal daily lives. County leaders urge local residents to also think about those in our business community who are also struggling. Small business owners, employees, restaurateurs, grocery store workers and all of those working to keep our community supplied with all of the things we need to live a normal life deserve our thanks and respect.
The responsibility to stop the spread rests with each of us individually,” Dr. Wood said. “The Bug Stops Here, Lewis County!”
