COVID-19
Please note: The drive-thru COVID-19 test site is now expected to open Wednesday, Nov. 4. The testing site will not be open on Saturdays to avoid any impacts to the Farmers Market schedule. More details to come.
City Council approves COVID-19 testing site proposal
The City Council approved a proposal Oct. 13 for the City to open a free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at Town Square in early November to increase the testing capacity to keep our community safe and support the reopening of schools and businesses.
“The goal is to support our community. This is a public health threat,” Emergency Management Coordinator Anne LeSage said during the Oct. 13 presentation to the Council.
The testing site, which staff aims to open on Wednesday, Nov. 4, will be available to anyone (with or without symptoms) by appointment only. The testing site will be open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the City’s Town Square, which is the location of the Farmers Market (next to City Hall at 280 Madison Ave). The effort is expected to increase testing capacity on the island by approximately 80 per week. The schedule may be adjusted based on the demand for testing.
“What we continue to hear is that it is difficult to get tested if you are asymptomatic – even if you’re a close contact, you need testing in order to return to work, or to travel,” LeSage said.
Volunteers from the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), Bainbridge Prepares, and other emergency management volunteers will oversee the testing process with support from the City’s Emergency Management Coordinator Anne LeSage and COVID-19 Safety Officer Chris Rubin.
The City will work with the University of Washington Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology to process the tests; it’s anticipated processing of the tests will take 24 to 48 hours. There is no cost to participants. If participants have insurance, then they will need to provide that information, so the UW lab can bill the insurance company. If a patient does not have insurance, then the UW lab will receive reimbursement from a federal pool of money supporting COVID-19 testing.
Arrangements will be made at the site to allow testing for those without access to a car.
The City Council approved up to $50,000 for six months of testing. The project will cost approximately $10,000 to set up (includes the cost for personal protective equipment, supplies, testing materials and information technology equipment) and ongoing costs are expected to be $6,000 per month. The testing site will be supported through the City’s General Fund.
Watch the Oct. 13 presentation in the video below (scroll to 3:24:33).
Please continue to follow this page for more details on the testing site and how to register for an appointment. You may also sign up for City alerts below to stay informed.
- Nixle: Sign up to get emergency alerts. Text 98110 to 888777 to opt-in or visit the Nixle website.
- News Flash: Sign up to get updates on the testing site by email or text. Select News Flash/Press releases. You will receive an email to confirm your subscription; please make sure to check your junk folder for this email.
Click here for a list of current community testing sites in Kitsap County.
Plan safe ways to participate in Halloween activities this year
The Bainbridge Island Downtown Association's annual Trick or Treat Downtown event is canceled this year to be in accordance with Gov. Jay Inslee's guidelines to not encourage crowds. For other safer, alternative ways to participate in Halloween, please see the suggestions below from the Centers for Disease Control.
- Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance
- Having a virtual Halloween costume contest
- Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with
- Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house
See a full list of alternative ideas here.
If you may have COVID-19 or you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities and should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters.
Learn more about lower, moderate and higher risk activities and other holiday celebration tips here.
Help us spread the word about the state health order requiring masks to be worn in public spaces. Download posters below. If you’d like to pick up posters at City Hall, please call 206-842-7633.
- Don’t breach our state health order. Wear a mask. (11x17 PDF)
- Do your part. Wear a mask. (8.5x11 PDF)
Bloodworks Northwest extends testing of all blood donations for COVID-19 antibodies
Bloodworks Northwest has extended its testing of all blood donations for COVID-19 antibodies through Oct. 31, in conjunction with pandemic response efforts.
For more information on testing and to book your appointment, please visit: https://www.bloodworksnw.org/covid19study/antibody-testing
City resumes enforcement of bag ordinance
The City resumed enforcement of its single-use plastic bag ordinance Tuesday, Sept. 1 following approval by the City Council during the Aug. 11 meeting. Enforcement of the single-use plastic bag ban was paused in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision to lift the ordinance during the pandemic was made because there were public health concerns around the use of reusable shopping bags and paper bags were difficult for retailers to acquire.
The City implemented the plastic bag ban in 2012 to reduce pollution created by the product and help the environment.
"We are an island in the Puget Sound and every single plastic bag that makes it into the Puget Sound is a tragedy," Councilmember Kirsten Hytopoulos said during the Aug. 11 discussion. "For me, going into our grocery stores and seeing plastic bags available again at the counter has been - quite frankly - shocking."
Paper bags are now more readily available for stores to purchase and use.
When ordering packaging, local businesses selling food should also keep in the mind the requirements of Chapter 8.24 BIMC, which requires the use of biodegradable packaging when selling or conveying food directly to ultimate consumers within the City.
Save our Bainbridge stores & businesses
What do downtown Bainbridge and our other commercial centers such as Lynwood, Rolling Bay, Island Center and High School Road mean to you? What special traditions have you enjoyed through the years, with the personal service these stores, restaurants and businesses provide?
Shop Local! Support our wonderful Island-wide stores that are at risk of closing due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information and ideas, visit sosbainbridgeisland.com
Governor pauses indefinitely phased reopening plans
On July 28, Gov. Jay Inslee extended the pause indefinitely on counties moving ahead in the Safe Start Washington plan.
He also released additional guidance that outlines the updates to gatherings, live entertainment, restaurants and taverns, entertainment and recreational centers, card rooms, movie theaters, and weddings and funerals and builds upon guidance released during the week of July 20.
Read the full update here.
City Hall reopening date pending due to Kitsap County Phase 3 status
The City of Bainbridge Island anticipated reopening some of its facilities to the public for in-person services on Monday, July 6, but that date has been postponed due to the status of Kitsap County’s Phase 3 application. The City’s facilities will remain closed to the public and staff will continue to offer services by phone and online.
The timing of any changes to reopening City facilities will be dependent on the county’s move to Phase 3.
When the doors reopen to the public at City Hall, you should expect the following changes:
- Plexiglass barriers at front counters
- Directional signage for movement of staff and visitors
- Six feet floor markings and stanchions to guide visitors
- New, lower occupancy limits for conference rooms
City Police personnel and Public Works Operations and Maintenance crews will continue to perform their regular duties, within the limitations established by the current restrictions. The Municipal Court will remain closed to in-person appearances until further orders of the Washington State Supreme Court. See the "City Operations" tab below for more information on City services.
Masks are now required in Washington state As of June 26, every person in Washington State must wear a facial covering that covers their nose and mouth when in any indoor or outdoor public setting. Order 20-03 was issued in response to reports of cases increasing throughout the state.
The order applies to anyone inside of or in line to enter an indoor public space, waiting for or riding public transportation, and anyone outdoors and unable to keep six feet away from others not in their households.
There are exceptions to this order for children under the age of five and people with a medical condition, mental health condition or disability that prevents them from wearing a face covering. In no case should children under two years of age wear a face covering due to the risk of suffocation.
"This is about saving lives. It’s about reopening our businesses. And it’s about showing respect and care for one another. Mask up, Washington. Let’s beat this virus," read a post on Gov. Jay Inslee’s Twitter page following the announcement of the order on June 23
Read the order here.
For more information on face mask guidelines, please visit the Washington State Department of Health website.
Please help us share information about the face coverings requirement. Download the orca face coverings poster here.
City dock reopens to recreational guest moorage
The City reopened its dock May 29 to recreational guest moorage, including overnight stays, as part of Kitsap County’s transition into Phase 2 of the Safe Start plan for COVID-19 recovery.
What guests need to know:
- The moorage is assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis.
- At this time, rafting (to accommodate additional boats) will not be allowed.
- The showers remain closed to guests.
- The sewage pumpout station remains available.
All City dock visitors are urged to follow public health guidance, which includes wearing a face covering and maintaining six feet of distance from others in public whenever possible.
The launch ramp and boat trailer parking at Waterfront Park reopened May 5.
Kitsap County publishes a ‘Playbook’ for reopening
The Kitsap County Emergency Operations Center (KCEOC) has compiled a Pathway to Recovery Playbook to help our community understand and safely embark upon our phased reopening as part of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Safe Start plan. The document includes everything from overarching guidance for every individual and employer, to industry-specific recommendations for each phase of the Safe Start plan. The Pathway to Recovery Playbook will be updated periodically as the situation changes and new guidelines are issued. Learn more about the document here.