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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 15, 2020)
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Distancing measures are working in Oregon Staying home does appear to be slowing the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon and in Deschutes County 4 and health authorities are urging that measures stay in place into May to keep numbers down. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reports that new projections from health researchers estimate that Oregon9s <aggressive= social distancing measures have pre- vented as many as 18,000 cases of COVID-19 and 500 hos- pitalizations. However, OHA states, these restrictions must be maintained into May to prevent new cases from rising above current daily levels. A link to the report on <COVID- 19 intervention effectiveness and epidemic trends for Ore- gon: a model-based analy- sis= can be found with the online version of this story at www.nuggetnews.com. Researchers <emphasize the urgent need for enor- mously increased testing capacity. It will not be pos- sible to relax social distancing measures and avoid an epi- demic rebound without sig- nificantly increased testing.= The latest model is based on actual COVID-19 infec- tion, hospitalization and death data. Researchers lengthened their assumptions on hospi- tal length-of-stay based on accumulation of additional data from Oregon cases. The results aid in planning the state9s response. According to the latest report, which extends modeling until May 18: " Under current social distancing conditions, the total cumulative infections with COVID-19 in Oregon on May 18 would be fewer than 20,000. If the state were to return to moderate social distancing (i.e., reopen non- essential businesses, keep schools closed), new infec- tions would quickly climb to more than 60,000 by May 18. " Active infections would stay at currently projected lev- els of more than 2,000 cases per day through mid-May and then begin to slowly subside, if the state maintains current social distancing. However, if the state were to return to moderate social distancing, the number of active infec- tions each day would spike to more than 17,000 per day. " The projected adult acute care and intensive care bed usage will remain below the available capacity in Oregon through the model period (through May 18). The models were prepared by the Institute for Disease Modeling in Washington. Based on the data, researchers predict there are about 7,000 active infections in Oregon at this time. Dr. Dean Sidelinger, state health officer at OHA, said: <Staying at home and main- taining physical distancing is difficult and has had serious economic impacts that have affected many people, but the data continue to show that Oregonians are saving lives by staying home. The latest projections are more conser- vative than previous versions of the model because they account for variables such as longer hospital stays or the likelihood that COVID-19 has been in Oregon longer than we initially estimated. However, even these estimates, show we can slow new COVID- 19 infections and ultimately begin to drive them down if we can sustain today9s social distancing measures.= According to the model released Saturday, the state should expect to see fewer than 500 hospitalizations per day due to COVID-19 if social distancing remains in place; Oregon hospitals would use fewer than 200 ICU beds per day. Nearly 2,000 beds per day would be needed by May 18 if current stay home orders were relaxed. Fit For Sisters Andrew Loscutoff Columnist Ways COVID-19 shut in can promote a healthy lifestyle Now is not a time to constantly consume the news. Focus on what CAN be done, not about the per- ils of the world around us. Here are a few ways that this shut in offers an oppor- tunity to establish a health- ier lifestyle. • Changing eating habits: No longer is the excuse <I don9t have time to eat healthy= valid. Cooking offers a pleasur- able expression of creativ- ity, flavor, and comfort. It doesn9t have to be hard, We are keeping our community safe by limiting operations to emergency treatment only. and it doesn9t have to be gourmet. A staple in this household is a veggie stir fry with tofu, and a simple soy, brown sugar, and rice vinegar sauce. Simple, easy, and minimally messy. • E x e rc i s e s na c ks : Snacks? Not literally snacks but, a break for a brief exercise does wonders after sitting for a while. First it gets blood moving, the muscles stay limber and active, and it helps clear the mind. A morning and evening walk have been a great opportunity person- ally to clear my head and re-write the inner tone, as it9s easy to get down and depressed during this time. • M e d i t a t e , re l a x , decompress: Is the inner voice tearing apart the pos- itivity in the world? Is the mind racing back and forth from one thing to another constantly looking for dis- tractions on social media? Is focus and serenity hard to come by? Meditation, sitting quietly, and journal- ing are all ways to improve one9s mental state. Simply looking off into the dis- tance and being quiet is helpful. • Organize the envi- ronment for success: It probably isn9t apparent until now how much the things surrounding a per- son can influence their mindset. Look to build and adapt the household into a relaxing, cozy, and spa- cious area that promotes good vibes. Lighting, decor, soft spaces, all can create a comforting expe- rience. A favorite here is a chair next to the back win- dow with a warm lamp and a throw blanket. " Sleep for heaven¾s sake! Wonderful sleep is possible, and there9s no better time than now. Does staying up watching TV get anything accomplished? Will continuous scroll- ing through a phone help? Take this wellness oppor- tunity to tune in sleep. A cool, blacked-out room will do best. Avoid any screens or TV watching in bed, and keep lighting low. It9s amazing what a good night9s sleep can do! Shout out any ideas and let9s continue to make the best of this situation! CURBSIDE PICKUP Trevor Frideres, D . M . D . Greg Everson, D . M . D . 541-549-2011 491 E. Main Ave. • Sisters www.sistersdental.com Hours: Mon., 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tues.-Thurs., 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fri., 7 a.m.-3 p.m. CUSTOM FENCES, DECKS & PAVERS RESTAURANT NOW OPEN FOR TAKEOUT! 541-588-2062 CCB#288388 L Locally o c a l l y O Owned, wn ne d C Craftsman r a f t s m a n B Built uii l t Residential & Commercial Custom Ranch & Domestic Privacy Fencing Decks • Pavers • Gates | Stain & Paint • Repair p We are encouraging phone orders and curbside pickup but the store remains open. OPEN 9-4 DAILY... 541-719-1186 110 S. Spruce St., Sisters FREE ESTIMATES & COMPETITIVE PRICING We anticipated increased demand and are having no shortages on any product so far. www.SistersFenceCompany.com MEATS • CHEESES • EATERY • DRINKERY “Sisters Businesses are Here to Serve” page to find curbside pick up, delivery, and more. 7