APRIL 3, 2020, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5
Opinion
Keep up the good work
Keep it up, Oregon. Our social
distancing, mask wearing and hand
washing is working.
It is good to see people distanc-
ing themselves from others when
they have to go out to the store or
the pharmacy.
As of early this week
the state had a total of
690 novel coronavirus
cases and 18 deaths. One
death from COVID-19
is too many, but so far
Oregon has been spared
the devastating number
of cases and deaths expe-
rienced in other parts of
the country such as New York.
We are all facing hardships.
Schools are closed, probably un-
til fall. The Oregon Department
of Education is instructing school
districts to implement distant
learning for all students. This week
Salem-Keiezr Public Schools was
passing out Chromebooks for all
students to connect to online class-
es. Students of any age can borrow
a Chromebook for free.
It remains to be seen how
schools will address college-bound
seniors, especially those who may
still need credits.
Every school of higher learning
across the country must work in
partnership with school districts to
formulate plans for high school se-
niors to stay on course for receving
diplomas.
Every household
with younger chil-
dren is challenged
to fi nd ways to keep
their kids occupied
during the shelter-
in-place, stay home
orders. Parents, many
who are also staying
home, are becom-
ing activity directors,
home schoolers and keepers of the
calm.
This week, President Trump
said the United States might see as
many as 240,000 COVID-19-re-
lated deaths. Medical experts are
reporting that practicing social dis-
tancing seems to be having a pos-
itive effect.
Until we start hearing reports
of decreased coronavirus cases, we
all need to keep adhering to the
rules living in a time of this pan-
demic. We may get bored staying
home but boredom is a much bet-
ter result than exposing ourselves
editorial
to the virus. When we go out we
can protect ourselves by assuming
everyone else is infected and every
surface we touch has coronavirus.
Though ordered to stay home,
we should not forget our neigh-
bors, especially those who are old-
er and those who are shut-ins. A
telephone call or email to check
on family and friends is important.
Uncertain times result in fright-
ened people.
We don’t know when this pan-
demic will run its course. No one
has the answer. We could be hun-
ked down for months to come. Life
as we know it has already changed
and it will undoubtedly change
more as we move forward.
What we could end up with
is a society that is more diligent
about personal hygiene (washing
hands more often), a society that
demands its governments be better
prepared for disasters, both natural
and medical and a society that be-
comes more connected and much
less partisan.
Lives depend on it now and in
the future. As for Oregon, keep up
the good work of following the
protocols during this diffi cult time.
— LAZ
Worst-case scenarios aren’t the only ones
By DEBRA J. SAUNDERS
In February, the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention held a
conference call on COVID-19 and
warned, as The New York Times re-
ported, that 160 million to 214 mil-
lion Americans could become infect-
ed and 200,000 to 1.7 million might
die.
On March 3, the World
Health Organization noted
that globally 3.4 percent of
those infected with the vi-
rus died.
These numbers have
become frequent talking
points—even though they present-
ed an infl ated picture based on cas-
es confi rmed because patients had
symptoms in countries with dubious
health care systems. We are living in
a news climate where the scarier the
factoid, the more credibility it can
claim.
“The problem is the experts don’t
know this number either,” Stanford
University Medical Professor Jayanta
Bhattacharya told me after he became
alarmed at some of the high estimates
fl oating around —including numbers
that, for example, didn’t factor in the
effects of social distancing.
And it bothers Bhattacharya that
risk assessments see risk only in not
following guidelines when there can
be risk in following them. “There’s
mortality on both sides of this,” he
explained.
I am not an expert—so I’ll go
along with what doctors recommend.
But I can still voice skepticism about
dire predictions that the nation has to
hunker down for many months, and
I can wonder if a multimonth shut-
down, which some offi cials are sug-
gesting, will produce economic out-
comes that are bad for human health
and longevity.
And I’m open to news that doesn’t
offer the worst possible information.
As of last week, the mortality rate
in the United States was about 1.5
percent—with a patient pool that
largely was symptomatic. Dr.
Anthony Fauci told Con-
gress he believes the corona-
virus mortality rate is 1 per-
cent—10 times larger than
the 0.1 percenet rate for the
common fl u.
Bhattacharya
sifted
through studies, corrected for certain
factors and came up with morality
rate closer to one-half of 1 percent—
but he won’t trust that estimate until
there is a study to back it up.
That’s not great news, as it por-
tends once-healthy adults hooked up
to ventilators and vulnerable people
in caskets. We’d all like the magic
number to be zero.
The death rate stays on the low
side only if health care workers have
protective gear and hospitals have
beds and ventilators —and that is not
a universal situation.
I am struck at one area of agree-
ment between Trump and New York
Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Trump told Fox News that his goal
was “to ease the guidelines and open
things up to very large sections of our
country as we near the end of our
historic battle with the invisible en-
emy.” Trump threw out Easter, April
12, which he later called a “beautiful
timeline.” Figure, it’s a goal.
University of Ottawa professor
of Law and Medicine Amir Attaran
told The Times, “Nobody voted in
other
voices
Donald Trump thinking he would
become a ‘one-man death panel’ em-
powered to dispense with American
lives like cannon fodder.”
For his part, Fauci told reporters
that no one wants to “tone things
down” in New York City but there
could be a more fl exible approach in
parts of the country.
Cuomo, the governor of the state
with the country’s worst infection
rate, has spoken to the same effect.
He told reporters, “You can’t stop the
economy forever.” Cuomo has fl irted
with sending young people or those
who have had the virus and are now
immune back to work earlier than
others.
Presumptive Democratic nominee
Joe Biden’s reaction to Trump’s Easter
talking point?
The former vice president told
CBS News: “The only thing we can
do worse than telling the American
people the truth is in fact raise false
hopes. And then when it doesn’t oc-
cur, they say, oh my God, something
really must be worse than I thought
it was.”
That’s the conventional wisdom
from inside the Beltway—that there
is a duty to shut down everything
because there is no downside to “an
abundance of caution.” And some-
how leaders instill trust by not want-
ing to open some of the doors sooner.
“There’s no caution on either
side,” said Bhattacharya. “If the end
of the quarantine is tomorrow, that
could be a disaster. If we continue the
quarantine for a couple of months,
that could be a disaster also.”
(Creators Syndicate)
Mankind is up to task to defeat COVID-19
We humans have been roaming the
Earth for about 200,000 years. Some
ancient civilizations, such as the Incas,
the Egyptians, the Mesopotamians
and the empires of China, made great
strides in a multitude of human en-
deavors, even having performed brain
surgery. It is not known whether any
of them knew about the ex-
istence of microscopic life
or the germs that surround
and inhabit our bodies, are
found everywhere, in all
things, and throughout our
planet.
Though great human
settlements were established
as far back as 10,000 years ago, our
ancient forebearers were far from
successful at sanitary, healthful liv-
ing environments. With their lack of
sanitation came infections, those in-
fections inevitably leading to diseas-
es. Thus began the long, shared histo-
ry between human civilizations and
illnesses. Our ancestors were exposed
to fewer infections and diseases than
we are; yet, over centuries, they were
eventually plagued by infl uenza, ty-
phoid, malaria, measles, tuberculosis,
yellow fever, small pox, chicken pox
and a whole host of others.
Help was hundreds, even thou-
sands of years, in coming. Immuni-
zations, inoculations and vaccinations
arrived on the human scene to deal
with these and other disease-ravaging
illnesses barely 200 years
ago.
One such break-
through for human health
in the United Kingdom
took place by one keen-
eyed British fellow, Ed-
ward Jenner. In 1796,
Jenner observed that
some dairymaids seemed protected
from smallpox if they had already
been infected by a much less-danger-
ous virus related to small pox. Jenner
thereafter conducted an experiment:
scratching the arm of an 8-year-old
boy from a cowpox sore on one of
the dairymaids, he succeeded when
the boy was immunized against the
deadly smallpox while Jenner’s ex-
periment began the immunization
age. Another breakthrough about
gene h.
mcintyre
Keizertimes
Wheatland Publishing Corp. • 142 Chemawa Road N. • Keizer, Oregon 97303
phone: 503.390.1051 • web: www.keizertimes.com • email: kt@keizertimes.com
EDITOR & PUBLISHER
Lyndon Zaitz
publisher@keizertimes.com
2019-2020 President
Oregon Newspaper Publishers
Association
POSTMASTER
Send address changes to:
Keizertimes Circulation
142 Chemawa Road N.
Keizer, OR 97303
Periodical postage paid at Salem, Oregon
SUBSCRIPTIONS
One year:
$35 in Marion County,
$43 outside Marion County,
$55 outside Oregon
PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
Publication No: USPS 679-430
100 years later, Dr. Louis Pasteur
demonstrated that disease could be
prevented by infecting humans with
weakened germs. In 1885 he began
preventing rabies.
During the last century great ad-
vances were made in immunizations.
Instances include those of the 1950s
when medical doctors Jonas Salk and
Albert Sabin made what are possi-
bly the best known of advances in
medical science through prevention
of polio: up to 20,000 cases of polio
were reported every year in the U.S.
before the Salk vaccine was avail-
able. By 2000 not one case was re-
ported. There were countless others
developed during the 1900s, one of
which has allowed millions of Amer-
icans to avoid infl uenza by the annual
injection of the latest vaccine adap-
tation every year. Measles formerly
killed a half million children every
year along while huge numbers of
children stricken by other diseases
now virtually eliminated by inocu-
lations.
History provides justifi able con-
fi dence in the development of a
vaccine for the Coronavirus or
COVID-19. It will require some
time to develop a safe and ef-
fective immunization against it,
forthcoming as soon as it can be
made and tested to determine its
safety and effectiveness. Based on
what science already knows about
COVID-19, it is likely to mutate.
Speculation now is that a refresher
shot, much like the annual renewal
to lessen or avoid infl uenza, will be
an annual event for most everyone
who values his health and life.
(Gene H. McIntyre lives in Keiz-
er. He shares his opinion frequent-
ly in the Keizertimes.)
Monetary support
needed at food share
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
At any other time, the Marion
Polk Food Share (MPFS) could use
any one of three things: fi nancial do-
nations, volunteers or food.
In the era of the COVID-19 pan-
demic, the organization is narrowing
its focus to fi nancial donations.
“Normally, we would love to have
people organizing food drives or
bringing us barrels from their busi-
ness, because of contamination con-
cerns and social distancing measures
we just can’t encourage it,” said Rick
Gaupo, executive director of MPFS.
MPFS has suspended volunteer
activity since the start of the crisis
and is waiting for further direction
from state offi cials before bringing
the helping hands back. Even em-
ployees are working on skeleton
crews to handle donations coming
in and food going out to community
food banks.
If someone has a semi-load of
food looking for a home (See relat-
ed story Keizer church on Page A1),
Gaupo is more than willing to fi nd
a way to add it to the food share’s
reserves, but fi nancial donations will
go further for the moment and no
one has to worry about COVID-19
over the wires.
“If people have food they can
hold onto and donate it later, we will
be happy to take it, but the logistics
right now make it diffi cult,” Gaupo
said.
To contribute to the Marion Polk
Food Share, visit tinyurl.com/mpfs-
giving, or call 503-581-3855.
Cherriots suspends service
The Salem Area Mass Transit Dis-
trict is suspending its local and region-
al service until further notice.
The paratransit service, Cherri-
ots LIFT, will provide life-sustaining
trips only, including appointments for
medical care and dialysis treatment.
“In the interest of public health and
safety, we are temporarily suspending
service,” said General Manager Allan
Pollock. “We are committed to serv-
ing our Mid-Willamette Valley cus-
tomers, but only if we can assure the
well-being of both our riders and our
operators.”
To date, the District has been expe-
riencing signifi cant staffi ng shortages
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In
addition, seven staff have self-reported
confi rmation of coronavirus.
During the suspension, the Dis-
trict’s buses and buildings will be deep
cleaned; operations staff will be placed
on temporary leave; administrative
staff will work remotely, if appropriate;
and other employees will work onsite
observing social distancing guidelines.
Executive leadership will continue to
meet daily to develop a plan that will
safely restore public transportation
service to Marion and Polk counties.
Customer service will be avail-
able to answer questions and provide
information by telephone, 503-588-
2877, by email info@cherriots.org,
and social media. Customer service
hours are Monday-Friday, 6 a.m. to 6
p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
police scanner
SUNDAY, MARCH 22
• 3 a.m. - Theft in the 4000 block
of Brooks Avenue North.
• 9:29 a.m. - Arrest for violation of
release agreement in the 1200 block
of Clearview Avenue NE.
• 11:59 a.m. - Shoplifting in the
3800 block of River Road N.
• 5:56 p.m. Motor vehicle theft
in the 200 block of Heather Stone
Court NE.
MONDAY, MARCH 23
• 3:15 a.m. - Unlawful entry into
motor vehicle in the 1500 block of
Alder Drive NE.
• 8:54 a.m. - Theft from motor ve-
hicle in the 6500 block of Wheatland
Road N.
• 1:46 p.m. - Identity theft in the
5100 block of Hasbrook Avenue NE.
• 3:08 p.m. - Assault in the 900
block of Dearborn Avenue NE.
• 9 p.m. - Unlawful entry into
motor vehicle in the 500 block of
Chehalis Drive NE.
• 11:17 p.m. - Arrest for theft from
motor vehicle in the 600 block of
Chemawa Road N.
TUESDAY, MARCH 24
• 8:23 a.m. - Theft from motor
vehicle in the 500 block of Sunset
Avenue N.
• 9:03 a.m. - Theft from motor
vehicle in the 500 block of Chehalis
Drive NE.
• 12:52 p.m. - Theft from motor
vehicle in the 700 block of Dearborn
Avenue NE.
• 1 p.m. - Theft from motor vehi-
cle in the 5000 block of 7th Avenue
NE.
• 2:47 p.m. - Theft from motor ve-
hicle in the 700 block of Dearborn
Avenue NE.
• 6:27 p.m. - Computer crime and
theft by deception in the 6400 block
of Crampton Drive.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25
• 3:13 a.m. - Harrassment and
menacing in the 800 block of Man-
brin Drive NE.
• 8:45 a.m. - Attempt to elude and
reckless endangering at the intersec-
tion of River Road N and Plymouth
Avenue NE.
• 9:40 a.m. - Restraining order
violation in the 1100 block of Clear-
view Avenue NE.
• 12 p.m. - Shoplifting in the 3800
block of River Road N.
• 3:25 p.m. - Identity theft in the
4300 block of Adam Court NE.
• 4:11 p.m. - Shoplifting in the
3800 block of River Road N.
• 6 p.m. - Theft in the 3800 block
of River Road N.
THURSDAY, MARCH 26
• 10:53 a.m. - Assault at the in-
tersection of Arcade Avenue NE and
Chemawa Road NE.
FRIDAY, MARCH 27
• 12:51 a.m. - Assault in the 500
block of Greenwood Drive NE.
• 2:44 p.m. - Methamphetamine
possession in the 3800 block of River
Road N.
• 2:47 p.m. - Vandalism in the
5100 block of River Road N.
• 6:47 p.m. - Physical harassment
in the 1000 block of Cynthia Street
NE.
• 7:59 p.m. Criminal trespass in
the 5000 block of River Road N.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28
• 12:43 a.m. - Criminal trespass in
the 4300 block of River Road N.
• 1:35 a.m. - Unlawful entry into
motor vehicle in the 900 block of
Plymouth Drive NE.
• 7:16 a.m. - Vandalism in the
5100 block of Wittenberg Lane NE.
• 6:42 p.m. - DUII in the 5100
block of Courtlyn Avenue NE.
• 9:26 p.m. - Theft and menacing
in the 3800 block of River Road N.
SUNDAY, MARCH 29
• 12 a.m. - Theft from motor ve-
hicle in the 7400 block of Sagebrush
Street NE.
• 4 p.m. - Theft from motor vehi-
cle in the 4100 block of River Road
N.
• 4:32 p.m. - Theft in the 4900
block of Bailey Road NE.
• 6:25 p.m. - Restraining order
violation in the 4200 block of Mead-
owbrook Court NE.
sudoku
Enter digits
from 1-9 into
the blank
spaces. Every
row must
contain one
of each digit.
So must every
column, as
must every
3x3 square.