Responding to the Coronavirus

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In a crisis, it is essential to have clear, consistent, and accurate information.

The leadership of the federal government has failed us in this regard, but we can at least do better at the county level.

Teton County recently posted a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document providing an overview of the county’s actions related to the pandemic. I highly recommend that Teton County residents take a look.      

View Teton County's Coronavirus FAQs

Local Control: More a Slogan than a Policy in Wyoming

One striking theme runs throughout the FAQs: County commissioners in Wyoming have surprisingly limited legal authority to respond to this pandemic.

Local authority for most decisions in response to the pandemic is vested with the Teton County Health Officer, who is appointed by the Board of Health. We are fortunate indeed that our health officer – Travis Riddell, MD – is both highly capable and responsive. He and the Teton County Health Department, led by Jodie Pond, have a tough job these days and are handling it very well.  

Unfortunately, Dr. Riddell’s orders must be approved by the state 430 miles away in Cheyenne. While I am not privy to the negotiations between Cheyenne and Dr. Riddell, there is widespread discontent with the state's decision to reject, water down, or delay his county's recommendations to protect public health. This is evidenced by a local petition signed by some 2,000 Teton County residents. 

The Town of Jackson has quite a bit more authority to enact local public health ordinances and has done so, while recognizing that county-wide orders are significantly more effective than orders that apply only within the town limits.
      
Likewise, the Federal Aviation Administration, which often seems more committed to protecting the aviation industry than public safety (e.g. approving dangerous heli-tours in Teton County despite strong local objections), controls decisions regarding flights into and out of the airport.

In short, as with land use decisions, “local control” over public health decisions often seems more of a slogan than a policy in Wyoming.

Three Requests

With all this in mind, I write with three requests:

  • Please stay at home as much as possible: When out for exercise or work, practice safe social distancing; and wear a buff or mask when shopping.

  • Please read the FAQs and let me know if you suggest additional questions, clarifications, or details. Kudos to Teton County staff for preparing the document, especially to Sarah Mann, Lori Iverson, Alyssa Watkins, and Keith Gingery.

  • I am eager to get this information out to as many folks as possible, so please forward this email to friends and encourage them to sign up for future updates.

For additional local information on COVID-19, here are two excellent resources:

I want to express my deep gratitude to all the folks working to keep us safe and healthy in these challenging times – hospital and health care workers, firefighters/EMTs, search & rescue volunteers, law enforcement officers and dispatchers, grocery store staff, local and state government staff, staff and volunteers at our nonprofit social service organizations, and many others.  
    
The University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation has developed a model showing the peak date of the impact of COVID-19 around the country.  According to this model (and it’s only a model), impacts in Teton County will peak at the end of April or early May. So please stay home, hunker down, and prepare for things to get worse before they get better, but remember that better days are ahead.

We are resilient and will pull through this.  

Many Thanks, 
Luther

Luther Propst