On Monday, March 16 at 9:45am, Dr. Tom Locke, Public Health Officer for Jefferson County and Willie Bence, Director of Emergency Management provided public updates during the County Commissioners’ weekly meeting about COVID-19 and our county’s preparedness.

KPTZ broadcast via 91.9FM and streamed at KPTZ.org this timely COVID-19 information, which was also videostreamed live and recorded for online viewing any time thereafter at the Jefferson County website.

Commissioner meetings to include Dr. Locke’s COVID-19 updates are scheduled to happen at this same time Mondays over the coming weeks. These are opportunities for all local government, members of the public, and businesses to tune at 9:45am to hear accurate public health information on COVID-19 from our Public Health Officer; and from Willie Bence on how the County is preparing both now and for the future.

KPTZ’s role is to provide reliable information about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in our community. We are on top of developing news in order to relay public health advisories, as well as keeping you informed about closures and event cancellations.

Last week the KPTZ Virus Watch Team was formed. Our volunteer staff are in continuous communication with Jefferson County Public Health, Jefferson Healthcare, and the Jefferson Department of Emergency Management. We are actively seeking and monitoring information from our area and beyond.

Reporter and member of KPTZ’s Virus Watch Team Charlie Bermant will continue reporting on his noon Local News on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Charlie issued a special newscast report today, Saturday, which can be read TRANSCRIPT HERE or heard below.

In the coming week we will begin to share short on-air Coronavirus-related updates during live programs, between 8am and 5pm. Other ideas for the station to be responsive to community needs are being considered.

KPTZ will continue broadcasting! In the effort to do so while protecting our volunteers and staff, as well as the public, the station will be closed until further notice. If you wish to contact us, the best way is by email to [email protected], and we will do our best to respond.

Jefferson County Public Health Coronavirus updates & info

KPTZ has convened a Virus Emergency Response Team which is working closely with our News Department to keep the local public informed with fast-breaking updates about the new potentially lethal Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.  

KPTZ Update on COVID-19 and Jefferson County
(updated March 9)

This week’s KPTZ Compass, available online at the KPTZ.org website, features an in-depth interview with Jefferson County Public Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke on preparations for what he believes is the inevitable spread of the disease on the Olympic Peninsula. 

The KPTZ Virus Response Team is in continuous communication with Jefferson County Public Health, Jefferson Healthcare, and the Jefferson Dept of Emergency Management, and is monitoring information from other sources for information specific to our area.  Here are the most recent developments:

• Jefferson Healthcare now has a dedicated COVID-19/Respiratory Illness Nurse Call-in Line at 360-344-3094. It operates Mon-Fri from 8am to 5pm to answer questions and address concerns regarding the virus.  If you are calling after-hours with concerns about an illness that does not feel life-threatening, leave a message and a nurse will follow up within 24-48 hours to perform a detailed evaluation. If the nurse determines you meet the requirements for COVID-19 testing, you will be scheduled for an appointment at the dedicated Evaluation Station.  (If you are simply looking for information about how to prepare for and protect yourself from the disease, please refer to one of the websites listed in the link above.)

• The Washington Department of Health has a call center to address public questions and concerns, open 6am to 10pm every day. Call 1-800-525-0127 and press #.

• If you are experiencing severe respiratory symptoms after-hours or can’t wait for a nurse call back, please call the JeffCo Emergency Department using the hospital’s switchboard at 360-385-2200 first to make sure the hospital is properly prepared to receive you.  

Out of an abundance of caution to protect our most medically vulnerable community members, please avoid unnecessary visits to the hospital, including the cafeteria, until further notice.

As your community radio station, KPTZ’s Emergency Team and our dedicated News crew are working on ways to keep the local public informed with updates about the fast-breaking Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease. It’s our goal to be prepared if – and, so we’re told – when any cases occur on the Olympic Peninsula. A helpful Information Sheet addressing public concerns, is available:

Update on COVID-19 and Jefferson County
(updated March 5)

Jefferson Healthcare has set up a dedicated COVID-19 Respiratory Illness Nurse Call-in Line to answer questions and address concerns regarding the virus. The Call-in Line number is 360-344-3094, and is active daily from 8am to 5pm. For contacting your health care provider, is very important to call first, before going to the doctor’s office or Emergency Department ~ unless there is an urgent health condition. [This paragraph updated March 4.]

KPTZ’s Emergency Team is in communication with both the local Department of Emergency Management and the WA Department of Health. We will continue making announcements on 91.9FM and streaming as well as posting here any pertinent information as it unfolds. Stay tuned!

WA DOH Coronavirus (Covid-19) Resources & FAQs