2
Wednesday,March3,2021
VIRUS
Residents should
remain vigilant
Continued from page 1
and activities.
The levels are adjusted
every two weeks. The ratings
announced Feb. 9 expired
Feb. 23; the new ratings
went into effect Feb. 26.
Announcement of the next
level changes will be March 9
and will go into effect March
12.
Some of the state’s most
populous counties improved
their level, though Portland
just missed the mark.
Washington and
Clackamas counties near
Portland moved from high to
moderate risk. Neighboring
Multnomah County, which
includes Portland, was just
above the cut-off point for
cases per 100,000.
Major counties moving
off the extreme level list to
high level include Umatilla
(Pendleton), Lane (Eugene,
Springfield and Florence),
Marion (Salem), Jackson
(Medford and Ashland), and
Linn (Albany).
Other than Multnomah,
the largest county to not
improve its level was
Deschutes, which had
already dropped to high level
in the previous report. The
county showed significant
improvement in cases and is
on pace to move to the mod-
erate tier on March 9.
In Central Oregon, Crook
dropped from extreme to
high level. Jefferson remains
at extreme.
Eastern Oregon showed
improvement, with Umatilla
moving from extreme to high
risk. Union and Malheur
counties made big jumps,
going from extreme to mod-
erate level.
The coastal counties were
an odd split. Clatsop County
(Astoria) posted the lowest
number of COVID-19 cases
in the state when adjusted
for population: 30.5 per
100,000. The second lowest
number was in Lincoln
County (Newport, Lincoln
City), with 37.3 cases. Both
counties moved from high
to lower risk level. Tillamook
County remained at lower
risk level.
Measuring the coastal
infection rate is problematic
because two counties, Lane
and Douglas, stretch from
the Pacific Ocean to the
Cascades.
But the southern most
coastal counties are the flip
side of the virus rates in the
north coast. Coos County
remains in the extreme risk
level, while Curry County
(Brookings, Gold Beach) saw
infections rise and its risk
level increased from lower to
moderate.
Three counties saw their
risk level increase due to
rising infections. Douglas
County (Roseburg), the
state’s ninth most populous
county, rose from high to
extreme. Harney and Curry
counties moved from lower
to moderate risk. All three
will have to reinstitute re-
strictions for a minimum of
two weeks.
The highest infection rate
was reported in sparsely
populated Lake County, with
30.4 percent of tests coming
back positive for COVID-19.
OHA announced last
week that it had mistakenly
included infections from the
Warner Creek Correctional
Facility in the Lake County
Columbia Gorge News
total, which is against state
policy. The numbers were
later revised. Lake County
remains at a moderate risk
level.
The risk levels are part of
a spate of good news on the
COVID-19 front.
Case have dropped 44
percent nationwide over the
past 14 days, according to the
New York Times survey of
state health agencies. Deaths
are down 28 percent in the
same period.
Oregon was part of the
trend, with a 34 percent drop
in cases and a 54 percent
decline in deaths.
Oregon continues to rank
49th out of 50 states on a key
measure that averages cases
over seven days and adjusts
the number for infections
per 100,000 people.
Oregon has nine cases per
100,000. Only Hawaii, with
three, had a lower mark.
Among Oregon’s neighbors,
Washington and Nevada
each had 11. California was
at 17. The worst rates were
in South Carolina, at 46 and
New York at 38.
Public health officials are
hopeful that the trend will
continue as the slow pace
of vaccination picks up in
coming months. But experts
remain concerned about a
spate of variants that spread
faster and may be more
virulent. One first discovered
in the United Kingdom has
been reported in three cases
in Oregon.
The Centers for Disease
Control has forecast that the
“U.K. variant” could be the
predominate infection by
the end of March. Another
variant, from South Africa,
has been shown in early
research to be more virulent
and deadly, and can possibly
bypass the current Pfizer and
Moderna vaccines.
Both companies are
working on revisions of the
vaccine to deal with the vari-
ants. The CDC has said even
if some variants infect those
who are inoculated, the
vaccine will protect against
severe and fatal symptoms.
0, 2021
staying home if you are
sick. Continuing to follow
current guidance from the
Governor’s Office will help
us keep our businesses and
Schools open.”
Adults 65 and over will be-
come eligible to get a vaccine
over the following weeks.
However, that does not mean
the necessary doses or staff
will be available to distribute
to all that are eligible, said
the press release.
“We have approximately
5,000 seniors 65 and up in
our county. In the coming
weeks, we know there will
be more seniors who want
to get vaccinated than there
will be vaccines available
for them, said the press
release. “Please do not
double schedule or attempt
to schedule if you don’t meet
the state criteria. If you are
age 65 or over, you should be
contacted to schedule your
COVID-19 vaccination by
your primary care provider.
“Columbia Gorge Family
Medicine clients, please
see their website, cgfm.
com. If you do not have a
primary care provider, One
Community Health will be
helping us to get you vacci-
nated. The health depart-
ment will be coordinating
vaccination for those who
do not have a primary care
provider once we have vac-
cine available. Please do not
call the Health Department
or your primary care pro-
vider’s, as phone lines are
overloaded.”
All information can
be found on the website
hrccovid19.org or on the
information lines: English,
541-399-8022; Spanish
541-399-8023.
“We will all have to be pa-
tient as we continue to slowly
receive vaccine for distribu-
tion in the upcoming weeks,”
said the press release. “We
will do our best to be sure ev-
eryone in Hood River County
who is eligible and wanting
a vaccination receives one as
soon as possible."
Hood River County
vaccines
Sense of Place lecture
features OSU Extension
'Sense of Place goes
virtual for March
10 presentation
Join Mt. Adams Institute
for a virtual Sense of Place
event, “The Legacy & Promise
of Land Grant Universities
and Oregon State University
Extension in the Gorge,”
March 10 at 7 p.m. on Zoom
featuring Ann Harris.
After more than a century
in existence, what have we
learned from local Extension
Services? In this month’s
Sense of Place lecture, Harris
of OSU Extension in the
Gorge will share her under-
standing of the impacts this
research-based organization
has had on our local commu-
nities and our relationships
with one another and the
landscape.
When Harris interviewed
for her position at OSU
Extension, she had no idea
what a “land grant” university
was.
She also didn’t know how
the Extension Service con-
nected to the university, but
that’s no longer the case.
From the complex history
that established land-grant
universities to the present
day programs that provide re-
search-based support for our
Ann Harris of OSU Extension will review the research agency and its
impact in the region March 10 via ZOOM.
Hood River News photo/file
economy, Harris has learned
a lot about how Extension
Services impact people and
our region as a whole.
During her lecture, Harris
will share pictures and stories
from OSU Extension’s long
history of programs ranging
from Master Gardener classes
to 4-H to food preservation.
Harris currently serves
as the Open Campus
Education Coordinator for
OSU Extension in the Gorge.
She grew up in Southern
California and moved with
her family to the Gorge more
than 23 years ago.
Harris has worked in social
services and in education
and is an active community
and church volunteer.
For more information, go
to mtadamsinstitute.org/
senseofplace.
The event is free, with a
$10 suggested donation to
support the program.
Gorge Youth Mentoring
Wasco County
vaccinations
Vaccines are being given
to healthcare providers,
emergency responders,
“Local cases have
dropped, allowing us to open educators and childcare
businesses to a greater level,” providers, and now, those
70 and older. Those 65 and
said a Feb. 25 press release
from the Hood River County older become eligible this
Health Department. “This is week. Wasco County has
vaccinated 14.8 percent of its
great news for local busi-
nesses, but please remember population, Sherman County
16 percent, and Gilliam
not to let down your guard.
County 12 percent.
It is more important than
ever to continue wearing
masks, physical distancing,
avoiding gatherings, and
www.columbiagorgenews.com
Helping youth succeed for over 20 years!
Mentoring Works:
•
Increased self-esteem
•
Better school attendance
•
Brighter futures
Contact us to learn more:
Call 541-399-0259
Spanish 541-409-9979
gym@nextdoorinc.org
nextdoorinc.org/gym
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