Opinion
4A
Saturday, May 15, 2021
My Voice
Reexamining the
‘science’ behind
COVID-19 policy
G
ov. Kate Brown recently extended, again,
the state of emergency regarding COVID-
19, citing only a vague reference to a
“fourth wave.” The Oregon Health Authority web-
site reveals that daily case numbers for early May are
level or slightly declining, as is the death rate from
COVID-19. Hospitals are not overwhelmed — far
from it. In the whole U.S., cases have dropped 30%
in the past two weeks. We have breathing room to
reevaluate state policies for handling the pandemic.
Any scien-
tist knows that
the science
TOM HERRMANN is never “set-
EOU, RETIRED
tled.” Years
ago, two of
my published
papers were challenged by some Japanese biochem-
ists. While not thrilled, I welcomed their observa-
tions, because that’s the way science works. Ideas
and models should be freely criticized. However, in
this pandemic, the so-called science tends to become
political and policy makers often care more about
looking good than about the welfare of the citizens.
I have read seven published studies, including
one in Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences and another in The Lancet, which con-
clude that lockdowns do not significantly reduce
overall critical cases or mortality. We are all aware
of some negative effects of the lockdown, but it may
be worse than we thought. For example, hospitals
are reporting a 30% to 50% increase in admissions
due to alcoholic liver damage. The Observer (Oct.
24, 2020) reported a 70% increase in opioid deaths
compared to the previous year. Unemployment is
closely correlated with increases in spousal and
child abuse. The OHA website gives us the number
of deaths in Oregon, week by week, compared to
the previous five-year average for those weeks.
Since September 2020, the total number of “excess
deaths” is now 4,925, while the total COVID deaths
are half that, at 2,481. One suspects the lockdown
is responsible for a large part of those non-COVID
excess deaths. A European study comparing
“hard-lockdown” and “mild-lockdown” countries
suggests the same.
The OHA lists a total of two people younger than
20 having died of this coronavirus, yet our public
schools were closed until recently, with heartbreaking
loss in educational progress. Since longevity and
income are correlated with educational achieve-
ment, a study published in the Journal of the Amer-
ican Medical Association suggests this generation of
schoolchildren will cumulatively lose more years of
life than was lost by all COVID-19 victims. Another
study by researchers at Johns Hopkins and Duke
University predicts that “unemployment shock” will
result in 0.8 million additional deaths over the next 15
years. One might be skeptical of these statistical pre-
dictions, but they are still sobering.
Those who maintain that lockdowns are helpful
have some explaining to do. Even Dr. Fauci expressed
puzzlement at the dropping death rates in Texas and
Mississippi after these states opened up in March.
There is little correlation between state lockdown
policies and infection rates: compare Florida and
California.
Anyone who wants the vaccine can get it. Our
young people are not at significant risk from the
virus. There are now effective protocols for lessening
the severity and recovery time of a COVID-19 infec-
tion. In light of all this, Kate Brown should rescind
her emergency order and trust Oregonians to use
common sense in handling the risk, while they get
back to school and work.
———
Tom Herrmann is a fourth-generation Union County
resident and retired EOU professor who lives in La
Grande with his wife, Swannee.
Our View
State money comes with a gag order
W
for the Froerers. The state depart-
ment of transportation is pro-
viding funding, according to the
newspaper. The gag order expires
when the project is completed.
The Froerers argue they were
offered an unfair choice: Accept
the gag order and get the money
or no money. They signed.
It’s not clear exactly why a gag
order was put in place, though
one reason could be obvious. The
Froerers have in the past crit-
icized Greg Smith, the reload
center project manager, director
of the Malheur County Economic
Development Department and a
state representative. Smith said he
didn’t put the gag provision in the
contract. Lawyers did.
Gag orders do occur in court
cases to limit publicity and
Letter
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author’s name, address and
Wright, 911 Jefferson Ave., La
phone number (for verifica-
tion only). We will not pub-
Grande, OR 97850
e read something
peculiar in the Mal-
heur Enterprise: The
board of a public development
company has dictated that a
family in Nyssa is forbidden to
talk to the media if it wants up to
$400,000 to help with an indus-
trial road.
That’s the government saying
if you want a benefit, you get
gagged.
The background: The Fro-
erers farm about 4,000 acres. The
plan is to close a railroad reload
center and move it to another
location. That means the Fro-
erers must truck their goods sev-
eral additional miles to get them
loaded. The money is from the
Malheur County Development
Corp. to build a new access road
I’d like to answer some questions
raised by an op-ed opposing the reloca-
tion of the Oregon/Idaho border.
Oregon state assets such as snow-
plows, prisons, land, buildings and pen-
sion funds were paid for by all the people
of Oregon, including East Oregonians.
We paid for some of it, and so it’s certain
that any deal negotiated between Oregon
and Idaho will allow rural Oregonians to
take their share of the assets with them
when the border is relocated.
We propose that any legislation to
move the border give 21% of state assets
and liabilities to Idaho, since 21% of the
population of Oregon would become cit-
izens of Idaho. This applies to the state
debt as well.
We recommend that the legislation
to relocate the border should grandfa-
ther in the professional licenses, driver’s
licenses and local election results. If the
law is clear, no court battles will be nec-
essary. Idaho doesn’t require professional
licenses for as many professions anyway.
All of these questions and more are
answered in our FAQ and our proposal at
www.greateridaho.org
Mike McCarter, President, Citizens
for Greater Idaho
La Pine
EDITORIALS
attempt to protect the right to a
fair trial. And parties sometimes
have similar provisions in legal
settlements and nondisclosure
agreements in development deals.
For instance, Apple Inc. has had
confidentiality agreements with
Crook County and Prineville offi-
cials to keep them from talking
about the company’s plans there.
This seems different. State
money is being spent only on
condition that a family keep
quiet, when the family has been
outspoken in the past. Yes the
farmers are getting a benefit to
compensate them for an expense
they will pay because the reload
center is moving. But it also
looks like state dollars are being
used to muzzle criticism. Is that
OK with you?