Submitted by PeaceHealth.

PeaceHealth is pleased to announce that visitors are again allowed—one per patient and one at a time—at PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor.

Visitors are still required to wear a mask in healthcare settings, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health department guidelines.

The easing of restrictions, which were instituted on Sept. 7, comes as COVID-19 transmission rates in San Juan County continue to fall. In alignment with other Washington state healthcare organizations, PeaceHealth is using the CDC’s transmission map to guide it on the next steps in COVID-19 response in communities. The decision was made after San Juan County had maintained a “substantial” transmission risk level—vs. high, moderate, or low—for more than seven days, thereby meeting PeaceHealth’s criteria for easing restrictions.

In addition to visitors, volunteers will again be allowed inside PeaceHealth Peace Island with no restrictions.

Transmission rates also fell in both Whatcom and Skagit counties, so PeaceHealth’s hospitals and clinics in those locations also eased protocols on Sept. 7.

Although the hospital is pleased to be able to ease these policies, they remain cautious and prepared to tighten up protocols should trends again reverse.