Dubbed as the “safest place” in the United States when it comes to COVID-19, tiny Point Roberts has made international headlines in recent weeks - and fire Chief Christopher Carleton of Whatcom County Fire District 5 wants to ensure that it stays that way.
On April 11, Carleton along with local health officials, opened up a weekly drive-thru testing station on the weekends where the 1,300 to 1,400 permanent residents of the tiny community located south of Tsawwassen, could get tested for COVID-19 even if they didn’t show any signs of symptoms of the deadly virus.
“This is in cooperation of the Point Roberts clinic,” he said. “So far 216 people have gone through our testing. Our community is doing great at this time. I don’t know of any COVID-19 cases in Point Roberts. We have some more testing this weekend and hopefully we keep coming back with great results. If we do end up getting a positive back on someone here we will definitely support them and have a platform in place that provides them with all the necessities and contact necessary to successfully isolate.”
Initially Carleton spearheaded the initiative, but added that they have always had a great partnership from their local nurse practitioner and physician assistant who have helped from day one.
“We understood that there could be people out there that could be asymptomatic but are COVID-19 positive, so that is really what the testing is for,” he said. “The community really started reaching out to me and asking me for some testing and when it would come here, so that’s when I contacted our supervising physician and nurse practitioner to get the testing here.”
Carleton said overall the community has been doing well in the face of the pandemic.
“I live in a wonderful, great community. It is very resilient,” he said. “I couldn’t be prouder and happier with the community I live in and what everyone has done to keep this community safe.”
He said like other communities in the United States and in Canada, their economic has taken a huge hit, but he is hopeful it will bounce back soon once the border is re-opened.
“Our small community is hurting just like others across our nation as well as in Canada. We are experiencing the same economic downturn as others, but are hopeful that once the borders lessen the travel restrictions, that people start coming back to Point Roberts and helping our community rebuild,” he said. “I use the term on the Peace Arch – “we are together in unity.’ We rely on the influx of international travelers to support our community and businesses here, so I know everybody is looking forward to that day where they can open their businesses back up and prosper again and people can come down and enjoy the summer with us.”
