ST. ANTHONY — The Fremont County Commissioners approved a disaster resolution to combat the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Thursday afternoon at the county courthouse. Commission Chairman Lee Miller and fellow commissioners Jordan Stoddard and Bill Baxter all approved the measure.

The declaration goes into effect on Monday. It means that the courthouse, county’s annex building, sheriff’s office and prosecutor’s office will be shut down to the public. It means that anybody wanting access to any of those offices first needs to make an appointment with respective county officials.

They’ll also have to be inspected before entering any county building.

“No person should be allowed into any building without health screening for COVID-19,” said Fremont County attorney Dina Sallak-Windes.

Those who have appointments at county buildings will be greeted and examined by an EMT dressed head to toe in protective clothing such as gloves, facemasks and goggles. EMTs plan to examine visitors for sore throats, coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath. Each visitor will also have his or her temperature taken, and, should it be 100.4 or greater, they will be asked to leave and see a doctor.

The disaster declaration also gives Fremont County workers job security as the commissioners agreed to give workers three paid days off for mental or physical issues caused by stresses resulting from COVID-19. Should it turn out that a worker has come down with the Corona Virus, they would be given at least 14 days of paid leave without it impacting their vacation days. If the illness continues past 14 days, county supervisors or the commissioners will review each situation on a case-by-case basis and determine whether the employee can continue to continuing to be paid as normal, or if they’ll have to use their paid time off days instead. Everything is still up in the air on such cases and will be determined in the upcoming weeks, Sallak-Windes said.

“This is all on the fly. We don’t know where it’s going to go,” she said.

Fremont Emergency Management Coordinator Keith Richey said more would be known in the ensuing weeks. He noted how new this situation is to everyone, and that it will take time to organize against it.

“We’ve always had instances where it’s gotten to the point where we get ready to quarantine people, but this is the first time that we’ll actually quarantine. It’s new to everybody,” he said.

Baxter noted how COVID 19 had changed things for everyone.

“We’re in a place we don’t want to be,” he said, but added. “This too shall pass.”

The commissioners expressed their appreciation to county workers and department heads for their help in coming up with ways to combat COVID 19. Employees spent all of Thursday discussing the situation and had also met for two hours each on Tuesday and Wednesday to review county plans to keep residents and workers healthy.

“I want to say how much we appreciate your helping us in what needs to be done. The employees, staff and department heads who love this county and this country and have stepped forward, thank you for what you’ve done,” Miller said.

Baxter said that COVID 19 has been as interesting as it’s been frightening. Media reports may have added to the fears, but it is important to be prepared for what may happen, he said.

“It is an emergency. I think we need to be very very careful. I’ve been thinking about it a lot,” he said.

Miller said that while things may not have been done perfectly initially, efforts in combating the disease would continue to improve.

“You need to be commended for your efforts. We haven’t done it exactly correctly, but as time goes on, this will get streamlined to protect everybody the best we can,” he said.

For updates on the county’s efforts to prevent the virus visit its webpage at http://www.co.fremont.id.us/.