Adopt a Highway volunteers seen as serious covid spreaders

I am the Adopt a Highway (AAH) group leader for Columbia Springs Estates in Lincoln County with our approved pickup area on SR 174, MP 23.38 to 26.00 since 2018. This service volunteer activity is no longer allowed unless I submit a Proclamation 21-14 - COVID-19 Vaccination Declaration form. This includes having to have a Vaccination Verification Plan in place and requires that all AAH volunteer leaders “obtain a copy or visually observed proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or properly exempted.”

Evidently, AAH program volunteers are considered contractors or subcontractors who provide services on-site with a WA State agency. This means that our highways are DOT on-site activities, which is true. But this evidently, per our governor’s proclamation, must put AAH volunteers at extreme risk of being super spreaders while we pick up trash along the shoulders while we work anywhere from 10 feet apart to 1 mile on opposite sides of the highway. In defense of the DOT, it was not their decision to come up with this Proclamation and being forced to prove compliance.

This proclamation goes way beyond the current CDC guidelines for “safe outside activities during the pandemic”; it includes 12 specific activities as being extremely low risk. However, since AAH is not one of these 12, we are a public danger, according to our governor’s Proclamation (as well as the other 12 activities). CDC also states that “when you are outside, fresh air is constantly moving and less likely to breathe in enough droplets to become infected.” However, our governor is evidently convinced that the outside air AAH volunteers will breathe across a highway putting us at extreme risk for spreading infection.

A proclamation signed by Dr. Shah, our state secretary of health, remains on the WA Dept of Health website and states “outdoors, in general people do not need to wear masks when outdoors”. This is a current document as of October 22, 2021. No wonder the public doesn’t know what/who to believe when this document doesn’t coincide with the governor’s current proclamation.

As a former federal government employee, I am well aware that common sense plays no part in decision making. However, our state governor’s current proclamation takes the cake and wins first prize.

Unfortunately, our cleanup is not going to happen. As the group leader, I refuse to become involved in other people’s health status. In my opinion, this is an unnecessary HIPAA violation for a volunteer program such as AAH.

This is my personal opinion, and I do not presume to speak on behalf of our other volunteers though they also want to continue our pickups.

Kathy Winzer

Grand Coulee,

Lincoln County