COVID-19

City reopens community-based COVID-19 test site 

Due to the increase in COVID-19 activity and demand for testing, the City of Bainbridge Island, in partnership with the Kitsap Public Health District and the Kitsap County Emergency Operations Center, reopened a drive-thru COVID-19 test site on Sept. 13 at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church, located at 11042 Sunrise Drive.

The site will be open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays. The test site will provide nasal self-swab PCR testing and results should be returned within 48-72 hours.

Appointments can be booked one week in advance. In general, we would like appointments to be made for people who are symptomatic, have a known or confirmed COVID-19 exposure, or meet other criteria for testing [Testing_Recommendations.pdf (kitsappublichealth.org)]. Testing kits for pre-travel clearance purposes are available for purchase online and at many local pharmacies.

Book an appointment online at https://www.testdirectly.com/patient/search/provider_search

The Kitsap Public Health District and the Kitsap County Emergency Operations Center are also operating test sites across the county at the following locations:

• Bremerton (Harborside Parking Garage) - Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Port Orchard (Grace Bible Church) - Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Poulsbo (City Hall Parking Garage) - Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Locate additional testing site options here: https://kitsappublichealth.org/CommunityHealth/files/COVID/COVID-TestingFacilities.pdf

Governor Inslee reinstates mask mandate 
Gov. Jay Inslee this week announced that face masks will be required for everyone over five years of age in most public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status.

The order reflects the recommendations of all 35 local health officers in the state of Washington and recent changes to CDC guidance that all people, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in indoor public settings, in areas of substantial or high transmission. With the rise of the more infectious Delta variant, every county in Washington is currently categorized as having substantial or high transmission.

The updated order goes into effect on Monday, Aug. 23.

Read the full announcement.

Kitsap County community COVID-19 testing sites reopen
Due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, Kitsap Public Health District and the Kitsap County Emergency Operations Center reopened three community testing sites in Bremerton, Poulsbo, and Port Orchard. Details are below.

•  Bremerton
  • City of Bremerton harborside parking garage, located at at 100 Washington Ave. This testing site will operate Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
• Poulsbo
  • City of Poulsbo parking garage, located at 200 Moe St. This testing site will operate Thursdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Port Orchard
  • Grace Bible Church, located at 7070 Beth Burley Road SE. This testing site will operate Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Kitsap County maintains a list of test providers in the area.

City Council ends local emergency, terminates hazard pay requirement

The City Council on July 13 approved rescinding the Proclamation of Emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Council took this action based on improving conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including increasing rates of vaccination and decreasing COVID-19 cases.

The Proclamation of Emergency was issued March 9, 2020 just after the Kitsap Public Health District’s confirmation of the county’s first positive COVID-19 case on Bainbridge Island. A proclamation allows the City to use all resources necessary to prepare for and respond to an outbreak, to adjust City policies and operations if needed, and to access state or federal funds and other resources related to emergency response.

The City Council on July 13 also repealed the hazard pay ordinance (Ordinance No. 2021-13) approved by the Council earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ordinance No. 2021-13 required hazard pay of $2 per hour for grocery employers with 500 or more but less than 2,000 employees worldwide, and $4 per hour for such employers with 2,000 or more employees.

Based on the termination of the Proclamation of Emergency on Bainbridge Island and improving safety conditions for workers who are eligible for hazard pay, the Council repealed the ordinance and ended the hazard pay requirement.

Effective July 21, 2021, the additional pay is no longer required.

City Hall now open for in-person services

As of July 1, 2021, visitors are now welcome to City Hall for in-person services. 

When you visit City Hall, please expect the following changes to protect you and staff:

• A mask is required for all visitors regardless of vaccination status. There are extra masks available for any visitors who need one.
• Plexiglass barriers have been installed at front counters to help staff and visitors maintain physical distancing.
•  There are markings on the floor near the counters to allow visitors space while waiting to speak with staff. 
•  Hand sanitizer has been placed throughout the lobby area and counters.

As a friendly reminder, the parking spaces around the Town Square (where the Farmers Market is held) are reserved for City staff 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. There is a visitor parking lot next to City Hall along Henshaw Way. 

The City is once again accepting in-person payments, so customers will be responsible for convenience fees for any credit card payments. During the closure, the City paid $52,000 in convenience fees on behalf of customers while in-person payments were not an option.

In addition to in-person services, some services will continue to be available by video conference for customer convenience. For the status of each department’s services, please see the City service delivery plan (graphic below).

All City Council and City Advisory Group meetings will continue to be held on Zoom, in accordance with state regulations. We will share additional information about when in-person meetings may resume as it becomes available.

We look forward to welcoming you back to City Hall soon.

COVID-19 Test Site 
The City's COVID-19 drive-thru test site at Town Square closed March 31, 2021. 

The City, in partnership with the University of Washington Medicine, Bainbridge Prepares and Rotary Club, started the drive-thru test site Nov. 4 to support public health goals and the reopening of schools and businesses in our community. 

The five-month operation administered a total of 2,415 tests and identified 21 positive cases. On average, the test site gave 63 tests per day. Travel was the top reason provided for why people sought tests; the second main reason was showing symptoms or having close contact with someone who tested positive. Kitsap County maintains a list of test providers in the area. 

The City will be able to offer testing on an as-needed basis if an outbreak occurs and City support is needed.