Submitted by Orcas Family Health Center.

After nine mobile COVID-19 testing events, Orcas Family Health Center has provided 293 rapid tests to Orcas residents and their family members.

Overall, the events have gone very well. Community members coming to be tested have expressed appreciation and gratitude for OFHC, especially for the volunteers who have been out in the cold, wind, and rain, sometimes for much longer than planned.

Alan Stameisen has been a friendly traffic director and guide for the paperwork and process. Robin Lassen has been an excellent support helping with documentation, test kit preparation, and whatever else she can do. Shila Wachtel, RN, BSN, and Valentina Rivera, RN, BSN, have valiantly donned their PPE, collected samples to test and gave next step advice depending on results. After our first testing event at the senior center, we found the traffic was challenging and disruptive to the Henry Road neighborhood. The Orcas Center kindly gave OFHC a new spot in support of the testing efforts. We have moved the Thursday 4-6 p.m. testing from the Senior Center to the Orcas Center at 917 Mt. Baker Road in Eastsound—and we sincerely apologize to residents on Henry Road.

We are hoping that the CARES ACT funds will last through the end of March 2021, however, we are seeing many folks come through who do not have symptoms and have no known exposure.

Our community leaders have asked us to keep our community safe, to not travel, to not have off island guests and to not have indoor visits with non-household members. If you choose to do these things the absolute best thing you can do to keep Orcas safe is quarantine. If you choose to travel, I would like to personally ask anyone who chooses to come for testing without symptoms or known exposure to consider donating $40 to help cover the cost of the kit.

The Orcas Family Health Center’s mission is to provide access to medical services regardless of insurance or ability to pay and this applies to our COVID testing project and upcoming vaccinations. However, please be sensitive to our time and resources. Quarantine is best, and making a donation will help extend our ability to continue our events.