Opinion
4A
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Sabrina Thompson/The Observer, File
Safeway Pharmacy at 2111 Adams Ave., La Grande, is
one of the local pharmacies offering fl u shots.
Our View
Don’t wait to
get a fl u shot
f you haven’t done it in past years for what-
ever reason, now, more than ever it’s time to
get your fl u shot. Dont take our word for it,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
report the best way to help limit COVID-19 is fl u
prevention.
It’s so critical now, the Oregon Health
Authority has ordered seven times the normal
number of fl u vaccinations. It is concerned how
the fl u might exacerbate COVID-19 infections,
according to a recent Bend Bulletin story by
health reporter Suzanne Roig.
The CDC has recommended people get a fl u
shot by the end of October, since it takes two
to four weeks for the vaccine to become effec-
tive. One still can get a shot after that, but the
optimum time is now. Most pharmacies, large
grocery store chains and health care clinics are
offering the shot for people carrying insurance.
According to the CDC, the fl u has sickened
9 million to 45 million people a year with 39 mil-
lion becoming ill last year and as many as 62,000
dying from the illness. (COVID-19 deaths have
topped 225,000 in the U.S. alone).
A recent story in the U.S. News and World
Report said while health offi cials worry about a
potential twindemic of COVID-19 and the fl u this
winter, a new study fi nds hospital patients who
were infected with both viruses were more than
twice as likely to die as those infected only with
the new coronavirus. A fl u shot is one way to
avoid that dire situation.
If you still have doubts, look to the Southern
Hemisphere. Flu season in the Southern Hemi-
sphere is from June through September, as it is
winter there now. Australia, for example, has had
a mild fl u season for two very important reasons.
The fi rst was the country imposed strict social
distancing regulations on its citizens at the outset
of COVID-19. Then, the government was aggres-
sive about ensuring citizens received a fl u shot;
some three to four times the amount got the shot
than the previous year.
If the US. follows suit, a mild fl u season will
help reduce that distraction from fi ghting COVID.
Meanwhile, as far as a COVID-19 vaccine for
the U.S., the CDC predicts it will not be available
at the earliest until mid-2021, most likely after fl u
season abides. Again, one more reason to take the
shot.
I
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Letters
Alf Rippee will bring
a much-needed fresh
perspective to city council
I am writing in support of Kristine
Alf Rippee for Position 4 on the La
Grande City Council. She will bring
a much-needed fresh perspective to
the council. She is energetic, friendly,
organized and open-minded. Her
administrative and leadership expe-
rience includes serving as treasurer
of the La Grande Swim Club and
director of the Wallowa Fiddle Tunes
Camp.
As a mother of four, she is con-
cerned for the youth of our commu-
nity, and as further evidence of that
she has volunteered for Girl Scouts
and at the high school. She has also
earned degrees in physical education
and sport science, and she has volun-
teered with visitors and school groups
at Haystack Rock Awareness Center.
I believe Kristine Alf Rippee
would bring new energy and ideas to
the city council. I hope you will join
me in voting for her for Position 4.
Sharon Porter
La Grande
Comfort is the best choice
for Island City
First I would like to say I appre-
ciate both candidates for running
for the offi ce of mayor of Island
City. Serving a small community
in a elected position has very few
accolades and a lot of criticism. So
thanks to both for caring.
If we are to survive as a free
Republic good people must serve.
I support David Comfort for
mayor and feel he is the best choice
for Island City. He is well known,
local his whole life, and a reason-
able, thoughtful, respectful person
who will serve us without bias
toward one group or another.
Please join me in voting for David
Comfort.
Stan Terry
Island City
Contact your public offi cials
Local offi cials
La Grande: City Manager Robert
Strope, 541-962-1309, fax 541-963-3333;
RStrope@cityofl agrande.org; P.O. Box
670, La Grande, OR 97850; Mayor Steve
Clements, mayor@cityofl agrande.org;
Councilors Gary Lillard (mayor pro tem),
glillard@cityofl agrande.org; Nicole How-
ard, nhoward@cityofl agrande.org; Corrine
Dutto, cdutto@cityofl agrande.org; Mary
Ann Miesner, mmiesner@cityofl agrande.
org; Justin Rock, jrock@cityofl agrande.org;
and through the city manager’s offi ce.
Elgin: City Hall, 790 S. Eighth Ave., Elgin,
OR, 97827; City Recorder/Administrator
Brock Eckstein, cityadm@cityofelginor.
org; Mayor Allan Duff y, 541-240-9763,
mayor@cityofelginor.org; Councilors
Mary West, 541-805-0443, councilor3@
cityofelginor.org; Kathy Warren, 541-786-
9611, councilor6@cityofelginor.org; Risa
Hallgarth, 541-437-9462, councilor2@
cityofelginor.org; Rocky Burgess, 541-786-
2417, councilor1@cityofelginor.org; David
Reed,541-975-3306, councilor4@cityofel-
ginor.org; and Ryan Martin, councilor5@
cityofelginor.org.
Cove: City Hall, 504 Alder St., P.O. Box 8
Cove, OR 97824; City Recorder Donna
Lewis, 541-568-4566, donna.lewis@cityof-
cove.org; Mayor Del Little, 503-508-6727.
Union County: County Courthouse:
1106 K Ave., La Grande, OR 97850; 541-
963-1001; fax 541-963-1079; Commis-
sioners Donna Beverage, dbeverage@
union-county.org, Matt Scarfo, mscarfo@
union-county.org, and Paul Anderes,
panderes@union-county.org; adminis-
trative offi cer Shelley Burgess, sburgess@
union-county.org.
Wallowa County: Courthouse, 101 S. Riv-
er St., Enterprise OR 97828, 541-426-4543
ext. 15; fax 541-426-0582; Commissioners
Susan Roberts, ext.133, sroberts@co.wal-
lowa.or.us; Todd Nash, ext.132, tnash@
co.wallowa.or.us; John Hillock, ext.131,
jhillock@co.wallowa.or.us.
State offi cials
Rep. Greg Barreto of Cove (58th District):
Salem offi ce: 900 Court St. N.E., H-384, Sa-
lem, OR 97301; 503-986-1458. Email: rep.
gregbarreto@oregonlegislature.gov.
Sen. William S. Hansell of Athena (29th
District): Salem offi ce: 900 Court St. N.E.,
S-423, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1729.
Email:
sen.billhansell@oregonlegislature.gov
Gov. Kate Brown: 254 State Capitol,
Salem, OR 97310; 503-378-3111; www.
governor.oregon.gov.
United States offi cials
Rep. Greg Walden (2nd District): walden.
house.gov; D.C. offi ce: 2182 Rayburn
Offi ce Building, Washington, D.C., 20515;
202-225-6730; fax 202-225-5774; La
Grande offi ce: 1211 Washington Ave., La
Grande, OR 97850; 541-624-2400; fax, 541-
624-2402.
Sen. Jeff Merkley: merkley.senate.gov.;
D.C. offi ce: 313 Hart Senate Offi ce Build-
ing, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C., 20510;
202-224-3753; fax 202-228-3997. Port-
land offi ce: One World Trade Center, 121
S.W. Salmon St., Suite 1250, Portland, OR
97204; 503-326-3386; fax 503-326-2900.
Pendleton offi ce: 310 S.E. Second St., Suite
105, Pendleton 97801; 541-278-1129.
Sen. Ron Wyden: wyden.senate.gov.; D.C.
offi ce: 221 Dirksen Senate Offi ce Building,
Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-5244;
fax 202-228-2717. La Grande offi ce: 105
Fir St., No. 210, La Grande, OR 97850; 541-
962-7691; fax, 541-963-0885.
President Donald Trump: The White
House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washing-
ton, D.C. 20500; 202-456-1414; fax 202-
456-2461; to send comments, go to www.
whitehouse.gov/contact.