After months of work, a resolution for a Washington County Infectious Disease Response Protocol and IDRP guidelines were approved by the Washington County Commissioners on Monday morning.

District One Commissioner Mitch Antle said the move was preemptive on the part of Washington County, saying it would satisfy and anticipate an SA&I request. He added that it simply gives Washington County a mechanism by which they can refer to and implement if they should run into another infectious disease similar to COVID-19.

These protocols are for Washington County's staff as a whole and for the public. Commissioner Antle presented a copy of a McAfee & Taft resource packet based on return to work policy and procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic back in May. At the time, Commissioner Antle said there will always be changes that they will have to adapt to and that he would be more inclined to see broad, infectious disease parameters that they can default to and utilize in the future.

The infectious disease protocol and guidelines were approved at the end of July during a Washington County Budget Board meeting after going through months of revision before they were presented to the Washington County Commissioners.