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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2020)
Saturday, November 21, 2020 tHe obServer — 5A FREEZE Continued from Page 1A Northeast Oregon Joint Information Center/Contributed Photo Workers prepare a swab test for COVID-19 during a drive-thru clinic in June at the Union County Fairgrounds, La Grande. The county’s positive test rate for the novel corona- virus in November ranks among the worst in Oregon. NUMBERS Continued from Page 1A where Multnomah Coun- ty’s tests have come back positive for the virus at an overall rate of 6%, Union County’s have come back at 9% positive. Malheur County remains the most severely affected county in the state per capita. The county’s health department reported it has a daily positive rate of 22%on COVID-19 tests. The sparsely populated county also has recorded 39 deaths. Those numbers relate to the pandemic overall, since March. However, when more recent trends in test positivity are highlighted, they illustrate a startling reality. According to tracking data from the Oregon Health Authority, 257 reported COVID-19 tests were per- formed in Union County Nov. 8-14. Of those 257 tests, 68 were positive — a rate of 26.5%. For comparison, during that same time period Mult- nomah County’s positivity rate was 13.3%, and Mal- heur County, which was experiencing the worst per capita outbreak in the state, tested positive at 28.2%. Across the state and in Union County specifically, the numbers show the pan- demic is deepening in its severity, and the conse- quences have been manifold. Hospital capacity Grande Ronde Hospital reimplemented restrictions on visits to patients that it had rolled back earlier this year. The hospital also reported in a Tuesday press release that its workforce had been “impacted” by COVID-19. On Wednesday, OHA reported six cases related to a workplace out- break at the hospital. While the hospital remains well-stocked with personal protective equip- ment and said it expected no disruptions to its service, hospitals in the region and across the state are carrying heavy loads. Oregon’s hospital capacity is tracked by region. Union, Malheur, Baker, Wallowa, Umatilla and Morrow Counties make up Region 9, where avail- ability for staffed intensive care unit beds has fallen to just over one-third of total capacity, with only 10 ICU beds available in the region as of Thursday, according to data from the OHA. Nearby Region 6, which includes The Dalles and Hood River, had only four of their 10 ICU beds avail- able, and Region 7, which includes most of Central Oregon, had space in only five of their 49. Non-ICU beds are also dwindling in supply. As of Nov. 19, just 49 beds, or 36.6% of total, remain avail- able in the region. With hospitals approaching capacity across the state and in neighboring states, the once-heralded phrase “flatten the curve” has become perhaps more relevant than ever before. Consequences Throughout the public health crisis, public health officials have pleaded with the public to practice proper pandemic hygiene: social distancing, hand washing, minimizing social inter- actions and working from home whenever possible. Despite warnings from officials, COVID-19 has exploded across the country and state and within the county. Outbreaks took hold this month in La Grande at the Wildflower Lodge Assisted Living Commu- nity and Grande Ronde Hos- pital. Cases have reached La Grande, Union, Cove and Imbler school districts, and some of those districts have returned to online learning formats. Gov. Kate Brown placed the entire state of Oregon under a two-week “freeze” that began Wednesday, Nov. 18, and extends through the Thanksgiving holiday. The order restricts restau- rants to takeout and delivery services, closes gyms, fit- ness centers, theaters and museums, and prohibits indoor visitation at long- term care facilities, among other mandates. With Thanksgiving around the corner, the Oregon Health Authority is pleading with Oregonians to limit the size of their holiday gatherings. Additionally, Oregon, Washington and California issued travel advisories against nonessential out-of- state travel and are asking travelers to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving at their destination. The COVID-19 pan- demic has killed more than a quarter of a million people in the U.S. and has infected more than 11 million. The number of new and presumptive cases of COVID-19 in Oregon set another one-day record Friday with 1,306, while the day before also was the single deadliest in Oregon for reported deaths from the virus with 20. Locally, the Center for Human Development, La Grande, announced 17 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, bringing the county’s six-day total to 76, and the total since the start of the pandemic to 655. “Taking risk reduction measures today is critical to slowing the spread of COVID-19 to keep those in our community that are more vulnerable to serious illness and death safe and to helping maintain hos- pital capacity so that all Oregonians can continue to have access to quality care,” CHD stated in the announcement. The executive order lists facilities that must close during the two-week freeze, including “gyms and fitness organizations,” but does not go into detail about the definition of a gym. Other gyms disregard the freeze HEALTH CARE DIRECTORY SPECIALISTS 0267,1685$1&( $&&(37(' 'U7KRPDV'0LOOHU 13LQH/D*UDQGH $FURVVIURP1HZ)LUH6WDWLRQ Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian The Club 24 in Pendleton, as well as those in other parts of Oregon and Washington, is turning over control of its facility to Tawtnuk Wellness Institute, which will operate the gyms as “wellness clinics,” as a means of staying open safely during the pandemic. under the freeze orders has been referred to OSHA. Oregon OSHA has conducted much of the enforcement of Brown’s orders in regard to busi- ness operations during the pandemic. Spokesperson Aaron Corvin said “willful violations” have resulted in citations. “Oregon OSHA would have to evaluate a situa- tion and let the facts drive what we do,” Corvin said. “I would say ... on its face, if you have a business that is defying, openly disre- garding these restrictions, you would have a situa- tion where they’re doing it willfully, and at OSHA we have issued citations for willful violations for employers who violate the restrictions.” Still, he stressed, OSHA would have to determine the facts about what is hap- pening at Anytime Fitness, “but on its face, that is a willful disregard for the requirements to maintain a safe and healthy workplace for workers.” Corvin also said if someone makes a com- plaint about a business not following COVID-19 man- dates, OSHA looks into the complaint. Sometimes the agency can work with the business owner to “satis- factorily” resolve the com- plaint without opening a formal enforcement pro- cess, he said, while other times the agency might end up issuing fines and other penalties. Oregon OSHA’s basic expectation is businesses follow the restrictions, he said, including as they apply under the two-week freeze. La Grande police also stated anyone who notices a business violating COVID-19 safety mea- sures could file a report with the Oregon Occupa- tional Safety and Health Administration. To file a complaint online, visit: https://osha. oregon.gov/workers/Pages/ index.aspx. Anytime Fitness is not other gyms in Salem indi- the only gym in the region cleaning protocols” and cated they also were con- require masks at all times. disregarding the freeze. A sidering staying open. Some amenities, such as trio of gyms in Umatilla showers and saunas, will County are taking unique Police emphasize be closed. steps to stay open. education “Overall, the look and Club 24, which owns Brown has said she locations in Hermiston and feel should be close to what you are used to when expected law enforce- Pendleton, notified mem- bers that during the shut- ment to take an “educa- it comes to Club 24 facil- ities with direct changes down it will turn over tion first approach” to non- compliance, but the rules that will only make our control of its facilities to under the two-week freeze facilities cleaner in order Tawtnuk Wellness Insti- tute, which will operate were enforceable under to allow you to keep the gyms as “wellness improving your health,” an the law. La Grande police clinics.” Hermiston Ath- emphasizes education over email to members stated. letic Club in Hermiston citations. The email also out- lined the financial difficul- posted a similar message La Grande police Lt. ties Club 24 has faced this on its Facebook page. Jason Hays in an email year, through shutdowns The website for Taw- stated, “In regards to Any- tnuk Wellness Institute when Umatilla County was time Fitness or any busi- describes the institute in baseline or Phase 1, and ness in La Grande who is in violation of the Gover- as fulfilling “the holistic through people canceling nor’s executive orders or wellness of all communi- their memberships. ties by converting health COVID related restric- “Cherished colleagues tions, the La Grande Police clubs, gyms, and fitness had to find new jobs Department will continue centers to wellness facili- because other businesses ties” and offers two links, were able to be open when to educate the business one to an intake form for owners on the fluctuating we were not,” the email Club 24 and one for Herm- stated. rules in an effort to assist iston Athletic Club. It lists them with compliancy. Those concerns echoed Orien Fiander, who has in other complaints that gyms COVID related violations the past described himself that occur in a business in Oregon have made as the CEO of Club 24 and during the latest shutdown. fall under the jurisdic- tion of the Oregon Occu- owner of Hermiston Ath- The Statesman Journal letic Club, as its owner and reported Courthouse Club pational Health and Safety CEO. Administration.” Fitness in Salem was According to informa- Hays also said Police staying open in defiance tion on the Club 24 web- of the governor’s executive Chief Gary Bell talked to site, members of its gyms the owner of Anytime Fit- order, quoting a statement ness just prior to the freeze in Oregon and Washington from owner John Miller: and educated him on the will be able to work out “As a result of the harm governor’s directives for on-site during the shut- done to our business from down if they bring a doc- the first shutdown, we will the impending freeze. Hays tor’s note prescribing exer- not survive another clo- also reported that Anytime sure.” The article claimed cise or if they fill out an Fitness’s remaining open intake form for Tawtnuk Wellness Institute. Taw- tnuk will conduct a tem- perature screening at the door, require sign-ins for contact tracing pur- poses, conduct “enhanced EO Media Group is looking to hire a full-time Media Sales Professional to work in NE Oregon. Do you have the drive and determination to succeed? Would you like to take your sales career to the next level in a fast-paced multi-media sales environment? If so, please read on! T O Y OUR H EALTH CHIROPRACTIC Phil Wright/The Observer Gym users work out without masks Thursday night, Nov. 19, 2020, at Anytime Fitness, La Grande, which is remaining open despite Gov. Kate Brown’s orders to shutdown for two weeks to help ebb the spike in the spread of COVID-19. 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QUALIFICATIONS FOR A MEDIA SALES PROFESSIONAL • Business development and contract negotiation skills • Two years of sales experience Proven success in media or digital sales and a degree in marketing are highly desirable but multiple factors will be taken into consideration. Do you have excellent communication skills? Are you organized and goal-oriented? Can you work independently with the support of a solid team behind you? Do you thrive in a CRM-driven environment? Are you known for following through consistently? Do you have outstanding proposal and presentation skills? If so, you might just be perfect for this Media Sales Professional position! While COVID-19 restrictions are in place, this position will may work from home after initial training. In our offices, we practice social distancing and masks are required. After COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, you will have the opportunity to join teammates at one of our offices and frequently see customers in person. 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