coronavirus Archives - Wolf Creek Angler

The Elephant Lurks

Throughout the pandemic I’ve done my best to avoid any political discussion regarding our current situation. I’ve kept readers informed of our efforts to handle the unique challenges of conducting business in the Covid World and while I certainly have devoted some space on this blog to thoughts and reflections on life in the age of Coronavirus, I’ve been careful to steer clear of controversy.

I find it best to continue with that approach but due to the fact that we seem to be at a Covid Crossroads as evidenced by daily increases in case numbers coupled with press conferences from our Governor as well as from our County officials regarding these increases, I’m going to stray from that approach ever so slightly today just to keep everyone apprised of what is happening with Coronavirus in Montana and more specifically in Lewis and Clark County where we reside and where we conduct our business.

The bottom line is that whatever your opinion of the pandemic and the way in which it’s been handled, the fact is the numbers are increasing daily which is concerning to all of us. Mind you, it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that we’re seeing an increase in the numbers as things open up and restrictions are lifted. The point was never to STOP the spread, it was to SLOW the spread in an effort to not overwhelm health care systems. That goal was reached during the stay at home order.

Increased testing obviously means increased cases and while those daily numbers can look scary I would contend that the relatively low (and steady) hospitalization and death rates should give us hope that this thing is not nearly as menacing and deadly as it was thought to be early on.

That being said Montana did see its largest single day increase in cases yesterday with 80 total cases (over 50 of which came from one place, a nursing home in Yellowstone County). So while I’m not necessarily losing sleep lying awake at night freaking out about Covid it’s obvious that the increased spread is very much a thing and this being the case I have decided to push hard for masking in our shop.

For the time being and until further notice, all employees are required to wear masks when anyone is in the shop. I’ve placed conspicuous signage up explaining that we are strongly encouraging the wearing of masks by our customers and that we do have disposable masks available for those who don’t have a mask. Mask wearing has increased ten-fold since we stepped up our masking program but we still see a fair number of customers entering who don’t seem to give NOT wearing a mask a second thought.

I’ve tried to maintain a level head throughout but I must say that this all seems to have many folks from all sides of the issue on edge. We’ve seen some push back from customers who are skeptical of the whole thing and are more than happy to share their opinions about the masks. We’ve also heard a number of complaints from masked customers who wonder why we are allowing people in our shop without masks.

I’ve been ok with letting folks make their own choice as to whether or not they choose to wear a mask in the shop but I will say that as the county has pushed closer to mandating masks and as some states have taken that step and mandated wearing a mask in all public places, I’ve been surprised to see people choosing to not wear them. Believe me, without getting political about it, I do not have a favorable opinion of any government agency issuing such a mandate. However, as a business owner and a consumer, I have no problem with a private business implementing such requirements.

It has been made clear to us in Montana that we need to get it together…OR ELSE, and while such threats immediately raise hackles (mine included), we all share the hope that Covid numbers can be held in check and that we can continue to move towards Phase 3 of reopening. If wearing a mask and social distancing are going to get us there then I’m in. We’ve struggled through this season so far and will continue to do so but we’re thankful to be doing our thing right now, even if it is in somewhat of a limited capacity, and we’re going to do what we can to maintain and hopefully increase the opportunities afforded us.

Once again, just to be clear, having the health department mandate mask usage for all and urging our customers to wear masks in the shop are two completely different animals and we hope you agree with our assessment and appreciate the distinction.

I’ll stop just short once again of requiring the masks because I don’t really want to get into policy enforcement issues but we would humbly ask that you do your part to help us keep our business open by observing social distancing, wearing a mask in the shop, using hand sanitizer when you come in and adhering to our limited customer capacity request.

We’ll continue to clean and disinfect often and will continue to implement measures to keep all of our employees and customers safe and all we ask of you is that you respect our efforts to do so.

Weathering the Storm

These are no doubt crazy times. It feels like the world has gone mad and unfortunately this time that madness can be felt everywhere…even in Montana.

Many who settle in places like Wyoming and Montana do so to escape the madness and while there are no confirmed cases in Montana, and just one confirmed case in Wyoming at this time, it feels like it’s just a matter of time as cases are obviously on the rise. Just as a matter of housekeeping, you may have seen reports that Montana has one confirmed case of COVID-19 but according to the Montana DPHHS the patient acquired the illness outside of Montana and has not returned to the state since becoming ill.

It’s easy to get sucked in to the doomsday media hype and if you spend too much time listening to those talking heads you’re bound to start to panic sooner or later but that’s obviously the absolute worst thing you can do.

Obviously the markets are reacting to the hysteria and that is not an ideal scenario.

Don’t get me wrong, I am in NO way dismissing the seriousness of the situation but calm must prevail.

I watched the president’s prime-time address last night and I have to say that I didn’t find it particularly calming or reassuring but listening to the analysis afterwards was insane and maddening and disgusting and this gets to the heart of why it’s important to stay informed but why you shouldn’t be seeking information through a partisan filter.

As you would expect, the right said the address was great and the POTUS is doing a terrific job of handling things while the left proclaims he’s botched this from the start. I can’t stand listening to either side.

Here’s what we know. The coronavirus is here and it will likely be something we’re dealing with for a while. Confirmed cases are on the rise due in large part to increased testing and while the increase in cases looks scary the bright side is that the mortality rate is dropping rapidly due to the fact that the more reported cases there are the lower the death rate will be.

This is an interesting take from the Washington Times

We do not yet have a vaccine for the coronavirus but there are common-sense measures we can all take to avoid getting sick. I’ve heard a lot of talk that this shouldn’t be compared to the seasonal flu and that’s fine but the preventative measures are exactly the same. WASH YOUR HANDS!!

From the CDC…

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Older adults and people who have severe underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness. Please consult with your health care provider about additional steps you may be able to take to protect yourself.
Take steps to protect yourself

Clean your hands often
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Take steps to protect others

Stay home if you’re sick
• Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care. Learn what to do if you are sick.

Cover coughs and sneezes
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
• Throw used tissues in the trash.
• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Wear a facemask if you are sick
• If you are sick: You should wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. If you are not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then you should do your best to cover your coughs and sneezes, and people who are caring for you should wear a facemask if they enter your room. Learn what to do if you are sick.
• If you are NOT sick: You do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not able to wear a facemask). Facemasks may be in short supply and they should be saved for caregivers.

Clean and disinfect
• Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
• If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

To disinfect:
Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work. Use disinfectants appropriate for the surface.
Options include:
• Diluting your household bleach.
To make a bleach solution, mix:
o 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water
OR
o 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water
Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.
• Alcohol solutions.
Ensure solution has at least 70% alcohol.
• Other common EPA-registered household disinfectants.
Products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens pdf icon[7 pages]external icon claims are expected to be effective against COVID-19 based on data for harder to kill viruses. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application method and contact time, etc.)

Common sense right? Get off the panic track and do what you can to avoid exposure to the virus.

So here’s what we’re doing at Wolf Creek Angler in response to the Coronavirus threat…

Disinfecting/Cleaning early and often

We’re taking extra measures to make sure there are no viruses, corona or other, hanging around at WCA. We’re disinfecting often in the shop and you can rest assured that nobody is reporting to work if they are sick.

We are closely monitoring the guidance of the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the spread of the virus. Our focus is to ensure we meet our guest needs while doing our part to keep you, our associates, and our communities safe.

We have enhanced techniques used to clean guest rooms after each stay. We are paying particular attention to high touch point areas, to include room keys, public areas, door handles, locks and latches, light switches, and bathroom fixture handles as well as kitchen appliance handles and controls.

Our guides have been instructed to take extra precautionary measures like wiping down high touch surfaces in vehicles and boats and we are providing hand sanitizer to each of our guides for use by clients as well as the guides themselves throughout the day. Guides have also been instructed that they are not to report to work if they are sick.

If social distancing is major part of avoiding the virus then might we suggest that there is no better place to engage in social distancing than on Montana waters.

We strongly encourage you to limit your intake of doomsday catastrophizing and instead turn to neutral expert sources for information.

Here are a couple we follow closely.

Johns Hopkins University

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Montana DPHHS

Stay informed. Keep Calm and Fish On. We’re looking forward to a great season on the Missouri, regardless of the madness!