Today, Satpal Sidhu, the Whatcom County Executive, in coordination with the Whatcom County Health Board, declared a Whatcom County public health emergency to reduce the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in our community. In response to the rapidly evolving situation in Whatcom County, Dr. Greg Stern, Whatcom County Health Officer, has also issued new recommendations to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.

Declaring an emergency facilitates coordination with local and statewide partners and is a reflection of our continued commitment to ensure a comprehensive Whatcom County response to this outbreak.

“This declaration is a step up and a step forward in our preparation to meet the challenges presented by COVID-19. It elevates the level of readiness of our public health infrastructure,” said County Executive Satpal Sidhu. “Our message to the public is simple: plan and prepare, but don’t panic. By following the advice of experts, you can help protect your family, friends, co-workers and our community at large.”

New Recommendations for Community-Wide Action

Read the full list of recommendations on our website.

The new recommendations announced today are based on the increasing risk of spread of the disease in our area and are aligned with similar recommendations from other local health departments in our region. These are proactive steps we can all take to protect ourselves, our families and our community.

“We know that this is a difficult time for our community and these recommendations will significantly impact our daily lives,” said Dr. Stern. “The decision to make these recommendations was made based on the best public health science, which tells us that these actions are needed to reduce further transmission of disease in our area.”