Opinion
A4
Tuesday, August 10, 2021
OUR VIEW
Democracy
is alive in
La Grande
T
hey might not have received the solution
they wanted, but the large group of people
who showed up at last week’s La Grande
School Board meeting were participating in the
best traditions of American democracy.
The large crowd was on hand to give testi-
mony and protest Gov. Kate Brown’s directive
mandating all students wear masks inside Oregon
schools this fall.
They fi lled Central Elementary School’s gym-
nasium, and the school board listened to testi-
mony from a sizable number of residents who are
not in support of the governor’s decision, which
was made in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases
throughout Oregon.
The individuals who delivered their opinions to
the board did the right thing, and the board was
quite correct to allow as many people as possible
to speak.
The mask mandate, along with just about any-
thing else connected to COVID-19, has become a
politicized lightning rod, and it is no diff erent on
Main Street USA.
COVID-19 as a disease should never have
become politicized. The polio epidemic wasn’t
turned into political fodder nor the breeding
ground for countless conspiracy theories.
But the U.S. didn’t have Facebook, Twitter or
any other forms of social media when polio was
raging across the nation and, whether we like it or
not, COVID-19 has become politicized.
That means elected leaders from the lowest
level all the way to the White House have a
responsibility to listen to citizens who want to say
their piece. If they do it in a peaceful, nonthreat-
ening way, those residents are fi rmly within the
bounds of the Constitution and have every right
to do so.
The school board is caught in the middle.
The district can’t very well refuse the orders of
the governor, yet there is probably no shortage
of people on the board and elsewhere who wish
there were more local control over such issues.
The school board meeting also showed clearly
that a lot of people, including district offi cials, are
concerned about the welfare of their children.
The political debate over COVID wasn’t solved
at the meeting, but what was evident is democ-
racy is alive and well in La Grande.
EDITORIALS
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opinion of The Observer editorial
board. Other columns, letters and
cartoons on this page express the
opinions of the authors and not
necessarily that of The Observer.
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LETTERS
Please reconsider vaccination
before this gets worse
COVID-19 cases, hospitaliza-
tions, deaths are rising predominantly
among non-vaccinated individuals.
Many public institutions (for example,
veterans aff airs, and the state of Cal-
ifornia) are requiring all workers to
be vaccinated. Eastern Oregon Uni-
versity will require students be vacci-
nated fall term.
Union County COVID case num-
bers have risen 1,700% since the end
of June (one of the highest in the
state), at a weekly average of 64 cases
per 100,000 people (covidactnow.
com). This is 17.4 cases per day
locally. Our current vaccination rate
of 41% (received at least one dose) is
one of the lowest in the state.
Where is the voice of reason from
our leaders and politicians? Where
is the voice of the medical commu-
nity with advice and education? The
hospital’s mission is to ensure access
to high-quality health care in a safe
environment. Should they not attempt
to educate the folks of Union County
of the benefi ts of vaccination? Should
they not create a safe hospital envi-
ronment by ensuring its workers are
vaccinated?
Facts — such as 4 million people
dead on the planet and 600,000 (and
rapidly rising) in the U.S. — do not
seem to reach people.
I worked many years as an inter-
nist caring for the people of this
county, and they deserve better. I urge
everyone to listen to the truth from
recognized health authorities who
have dedicated their lives to under-
standing these issues and employing
that knowledge for your benefi t.
Please reconsider vaccination
before this gets worse.
Richard Minogue, M.D.
La Grande
An ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure
I have to take exception to the
letter written by Tom Herrmann in
the July 27 edition of The Observer. I
think a letter with misleading infor-
mation about COVID-19 vaccination
during a pandemic, especially when
we are experiencing a signifi cant
local surge among the unvaccinated
population of Eastern Oregon, has
the potential to lead to a signifi cant
increase in severe illness and death in
our community.
Herrmann touts the improved
treatments and protocols that have
led to the decreased risk of death
from the virus, and that is true. How-
ever, the improved treatment will do
nothing to help stop the pandemic.
Only vaccination can do that.
As a retired emergency physician
I can accurately state that there have
been great advances in trauma care in
this country in the last few years, but
I would not recommend driving your
car into a brick wall at 60 mph to fi nd
out. We have made great strides in the
treatment of stroke and heart attack
with “clot buster drugs,” but I would
not recommend stopping your blood
pressure medication because of that.
It can’t be any simpler, Professor: “An
ounce of prevention is worth a pound
of cure.”
We have to remember that the
more than 600,000 people who have
died in this country from COVID-19
are Americans. It should be our patri-
otic duty to get vaccinated and stop
the needless illness and death of our
fellow citizens. Stop the nonsense, get
the vaccine.
Kenneth Chasteen
La Grande
EOU has responsibility to
safeguard health of students,
staff , La Grande
Tom Herrmann is a retired pro-
fessor of physics at Eastern Oregon
University. I was therefore sur-
prised to read his decidedly unsci-
entifi c letter regarding COVID-19
vaccination of students at EOU (The
Observer, “EOU should reevaluate
requiring vaccination,” July 27, 2021).
He claimed: “There is no signifi -
cant threat of death from COVID to
healthy young people.”
Not true. The CDC’s Monthly
Mortality and Morbidity Report
showed 2.9 million cases in those
younger than 24 between March 1 and
Dec. 12, 2020, and 57% of these were
in the college-age group. Among those
for whom data on hospitalization and
death was available, there was a 2.5%
rate of hospitalization (30,229), a 0.8%
rate of ICU admission (1,973), and
a 0.1% mortality (death) rate (654).
I would call 654 deaths a signifi cant
threat — wouldn’t you?
He claimed: “Treatments have
been developed that greatly reduce
symptom severity and death.”
Only partially true. Monoclonal
antibody and convalescent serum
therapies are not universally available.
This is still a dangerous disease with
a high death rate.
He claimed: “There is no benefi t to
vaccination after COVID infection.”
Not true. While it is unclear how
long a COVID infection grants you
immunity, reinfection is known to
happen. Vaccination is the surest
route to long-lasting immunity, even
if boosters are needed down the pike.
Regarding myocarditis: Cases are
rare and there are no fatalities. There
is a risk of 40 cases of myocarditis for
every million second doses of mRNA
vaccine in males aged 12-29. And no
deaths. That same million doses will
prevent 560 hospitalizations, 138 ICU
admits and six deaths. (Most cases of
myocarditis occurred among males).
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Remote court appearances
enhance justice
As a criminal defense attorney
in La Grande, I would like to off er a
diff erent perspective related to The
Observer article entitled “Union
County resumes in-person court
hearings.”
Courts should be accessible to all
Oregonians, especially those who are
working, taking care of their family
or live in more remote areas. The
increased use of telephonic and video
appearances enhances access to our
court system.
Hardworking taxpayers will appre-
ciate that remote appearances are
more effi cient and save taxpayer dol-
lars. Attorneys who are state funded,
prosecutors and public defenders
alike, can work on other matters
while waiting for their case to be
called. Many court hearings involve
issues like setting future dates or
checking in on a case and do not
require in-person appearances.
Due process ensures that every
individual is presumed innocent
until proven guilty. However, once
someone is accused of a crime, they
must appear at multiple court hear-
ings, which can mean travel expenses,
missed work and child care expenses.
Readily available remote appearance
technology signifi cantly reduces these
consequences, ensuring an accused
individual is not punished before their
guilt or innocence is determined.
COVID-19 resulted in increased
remote appearances but encouraging
remote appearance for routine hear-
ings does not mean that every hearing
will have an empty courtroom. Trials
in which witnesses are testifying
regarding important issues will still
take place in the courtroom. Remote
appearances in routine matters saves
taxpayer money, protects our consti-
tutional right to be presumed inno-
cent and promotes access to the court
system for all residents.
Michelle S. Bartov
La Grande
STAFF
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Regarding vaccination and preg-
nancy: I know of no conclusive data
on this issue. It would be reasonable
(though not necessary) to delay vacci-
nation if pregnant.
We do know that a 2021 study
of college campuses that reopened
to in-person learning showed infec-
tion peaks in their student bodies
that immediately preceded and were
apparently linked to infection peaks
in their surrounding communities.
EOU and its administration have a
responsibility to safeguard the health
of its students and staff and the La
Grande community at large. Failure to
vaccinate the student body (and staff )
clearly abdicates this responsibility.
David Moyal
La Grande
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