THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020
THE OBSERVER — 5A
First COVID-19 vaccines administered in Oregon
By Gary A. Warner
Oregon Capital Bureau
SALEM — The fi rst
doses of a COVID-19 vac-
cine were administered
in Oregon on Wednesday,
Dec. 16, beginning a pro-
cess that likely will not
fi nish until summer.
Two Portland area hos-
pitals and one in Ontario
took part in a live video
feed of health care workers
receiving the fi rst doses
of the Pfi zer vaccine. The
vaccine requires two shots
about three weeks apart.
Gov. Kate Brown said
it had been 292 days since
the fi rst COVID-19 case
was confi rmed in Oregon.
“This is truly the
moment we have all been
waiting for,” Brown said
during the event. “The
beginning of the next
chapter of the epidemic.”
The fi rst shots were
given at Legacy Health and
the Oregon Health & Sci-
ence University in Port-
land, and Saint Alphonsus
in Ontario. The Ontario
hospital said it started
inoculations earlier in the
day.
“In the last two hours,
we have vaccinated over
20 frontline caregivers,
including providers,
nurses, respiratory thera-
pists, radiology techs and
lab,” said St. Alphonsus
Chief Nursing Offi cer
Dina Ellwanger.
Oregon Health
Authority Director Pat
Allen said the state so far
has received 5,800 doses
of the Pfi zer vaccine, with
more coming in the next
two weeks.
If a second vaccine
made by Moderna is
approved as expected by
the Food and Drug Admin-
istration, Allen said the
state will have enough
vaccine by the end of the
year to inoculate 100,000
people.
For most Oregonians,
the vaccine is months
away — perhaps as late as
summer, according to what
health offi cials said during
the event.
The fi rst doses are going
to health care workers and
other facility staff who
likely are to come into
contact with COVID-19
positive patients or their
waste products.
The second group to get
the shots will be older res-
idents of nursing homes
and other congregate care
facilities who have under-
lying conditions that make
them especially vulner-
able. Staff at the facilities
also will be inoculated.
About half of all deaths in
Oregon have occurred in
congregate care facilities.
The additional rank-
ings for the next set of vac-
cines is under review with
input from community
groups, Allen said. Essen-
tial workers and those over
65 with underlying condi-
tions such as heart disease
and diabetes are expected
to be priorities.
The forecast from The
Institute for Health Metrics
and Evaluation in Seattle,
which is among the met-
rics federal and state offi -
cials use, forecasts at the
death toll nationwide is
on track to top 500,000 by
April 1, including more
than 5,000 in Oregon.
Brown declined to
comment on the forecast,
saying instead Oregonians
needed to keep up with
limited activity, social dis-
tancing, wearing masks
and washing their hands
frequently.
VETERANS
Continued from Page 1A
serve as a place where vet-
erans can meet with offi -
cials from the Department
of Veterans Affairs, the
Center for Human Devel-
opment, Community
Connection of Northeast
Oregon and other organi-
zations offering supportive
services to veterans.
“It will provide access
to support services, which
will give them a chance to
grow and fl ourish,” said
Bradley, who added that
veterans will be able to
stay in the homes as long
as they want to.
One of the fi nal phases
of the Veterans Village
project will include the
installation of curbs and
sidewalks and extensive
landscaping.
Numerous businesses,
agencies and organiza-
tions have contributed to
Eastern Oregon Cofa Alliance National Network/Contributed Photo
Volunteers with Eastern Oregon CANN pack food boxes for distribution to the local Pacif-
ic Islander community. In their two previous events, the group delivered more than 8,000
pounds of food to more than 120 local families. Their next distribution is Saturday, Dec.
19, 2020.
HUNGER
Continued from Page 1A
increases the issue of food
insecurity for those who
lack access to personal
transportation.
Many in the Pacifi c
Islander community also
work in jobs that have
been deemed “essential”
during the COVID-19
pandemic — food ser-
vice and grocery stores
workers, for example —
increasing the pandemic’s
impact on them.
Further complicating
things, Musrasrik said
those in the local Pacifi c
Islander community often
are reluctant to accept
help when it’s offered, let
alone seek it out. Miscon-
ceptions about immigrants
in general, she said, make
them reluctant to take
handouts.
“The effect (of miscon-
ceptions) is just making
do with what we can and
trying to get by, so that’s
why I’m helping with
SESSION
Continued from Page 1A
Because lawmakers
could be among the casu-
alties or unable to con-
tact Salem, the Legisla-
ture would work under
somewhat different rules,
including a waiver on the
normal two-thirds quorum
of each chamber.
In the past two sessions,
Republicans used walkout
to halt consideration of bills
they opposed, denying a
quorum and bringing work
to a halt.
Some lawmakers in both
parties worried a remote
session would erode the
discipline to do business
quickly and adjourn. That
could lead to the introduc-
tion of issues beyond those
that have near-consensus
as being able to pass both
chambers and be signed by
the governor.
Rep. Greg Smith, R-Hep-
pner, said he hoped the spe-
cial session stuck to matters
that were a true emergency
and wasn’t used for things
that could be handled in the
regular 2021 Legislative
Session set to start in just a
few weeks.
Looking forward to the
2021 session, he said he still
had not heard much about
what the months-long ses-
sion would look like under
COVID-19 restrictions, and
he had concerns about how
EASTERN OREGON CANN
DISTRIBUTIONS BY THE NUMBERS
Light-the-Night
Lights Caravan Tour
Dick Mason/The Observer
Bob Haley of GCT Land Management examines an elec-
tric fi replace Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020, in one of the homes
under construction at Veterans Village Union County in
La Grande. Join us Saturday Dec 19 from 6:30-8:00 pm for a
or will be participating in
Veterans Village Union
County, including Ace
Hardware, the Center
for Human Develop-
ment, Community Con-
nection of Northeast
Oregon, Eastern Oregon
University Small Busi-
ness Development Center
Light-the-Night
Lights Caravan Tour
• The Eastern Oregon Cofa Alliance National Network held
two food box distributions earlier this year delivering more
than 8,000 pounds of food to more than 120 families each time.
• The next distribution is Saturday, Dec. 19.
• The organization accomplished the distributions with 10 to
12 volunteers who pack the food and deliver it in their personal
vehicles.
Guided Caravan to enjoy the holiday lights &
decorations throughout Union County!!!!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
This event proudly
supported by
The First Annual County-wide Holiday Decorations Viewing Caravan is HERE!
Grab some cocoa and tasty treats from your favorite shop or coffee bar, jump into
these food box distribu-
tions,” Musrasrik said.
“I’m making it so they
sign up, it’s confi dential
and I’m delivering it right
to their door so they don’t
need to come and get it
themselves and ask for the
help. I’m offering it and I
will bring it right to you.”
Eastern Oregon CANN
held two two food box
distributions earlier this
year, delivering more than
8,000 pounds of food to
more than 120 families
each time. The next distri-
bution is planned for Sat-
urday, Dec. 19.
Musrasrik said the
group accomplished the
distributions with 10 to 12
volunteers who pack the
food and deliver it in their
personal vehicles.
“I think that’s just
our mindset as Pacifi c
Islanders,” Musrasrik said.
“It’s very different from
the American attitude of
‘every man for himself.’ I
think we have that village
mindset of we don’t leave
people behind, we help
each other as much as we
can, even if we don’t have
a lot.”
Local residents who are
willing to offer help with
the food box distributions
can reach out to Musrasrik
at tyanam@eocann.org to
volunteer.
Volunteers can help
pack food boxes or deliver
them in their vehicles.
the Legislature would bal-
ance safety measures with
preserving Oregonians’
First Amendment rights to
testify at public hearings
and their rights to access
government offi cials and
witness public proceedings.
A statement released
by House Majority Leader
Barbara Smith Warner,
D-Portland addressed the
goals — but also some
of the fi ssures — leading
to the special session in
December.
“It is no secret that
House Democrats have pro-
posed a number of other
urgently needed COVID
relief bills,” she said.
“While I’m disappointed
we won’t be able to con-
sider them all in this special
session, we stand ready to
pass these supports quickly
during the 2021 legislative
session.
Smith Warner also
said while House Dem-
ocrats would have pre-
ferred avoiding infection
by having a remote session,
she and her caucus were
ready to come to Salem
despite the personal risk of
exposure to COVID-19
“Legislators have an
essential duty to show up
when our neighbors need it
most,” she said. “I am con-
fi dent that robust safety pro-
tocols will be in place to
ensure the health and well-
being of everyone.”
Oregon and other state
legislatures around the
nation have watched as
the Republican-led U.S.
Senate and the Democrat-
ic-led U.S. House have
been unable to reach con-
sensus on relief legislation
that must also be signed by
President Donald Trump.
and the Oregon Youth
Authority’s Camp River-
bend Youth Transitional
Facility, all based in La
Grande, plus the Confed-
erated Tribes of the Uma-
tilla Indian Reservation
near Pendleton and the
Oregon Department of
Human Services.
Need more information call the
Union County Chamber at
deck the halls in union county
Four Different routes
Saturday December 19
Car Decorating Contest - Line up starts at 5 pm
in Bi-Mart Parking lot
Staging at 5:30 pm
Join us Saturday Dec 19 from 6:30-8:00 pm for a Bring non-perishable foods and a toy to donate and your Santa Letters
541-963-8588
Guided Caravan to enjoy the holiday lights &
decorations throughout Union County!!!!
STORAGE BUILDINGS
www.CountrysideSheds.com
•
Happy Holidays!
•
(541) 663-0246
•
Locally owned and operated
for over 25 years
•
•
10505 N. McAlister Road
•
(Corner of Hwy 82 & N. McAlister Rd.)
•
•
•
This event proudly
supported by
deck the halls
in union county
RENT
to OWN
starting at
$
68 Month
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