2A | SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 | SIUSLAW NEWS
On The Record
Lane County Public Health urging communities to protect against measles
Numerous cases of mea-
sles in Southwest Washing-
ton have prompted Lane
County Public Health
(LCPH) to issue a health
alert to health profession-
als, as well as the general
public.
At present, 22 cases are
confirmed, all Washington
residents. Because the cas-
es traveled widely in the
Portland metro area during
their communicable peri-
od, additional cases may
occur in Oregon.
Known public exposures
continue to be updated on
Clark County’s site, linked
below. Check this website
for the most up to date
list of public exposures:
www.clark.wa.gov/pub-
lic-health/measles-investi-
gation
“Given the proximity of
these cases to Lane County,
the amount of travel that
happens daily between us
and the greater Portland
Metro area, and the partic-
ularly contagious nature of
measles, we are concerned
about the risk of exposure,”
said Lane County Senior
Public Health Officer, Dr.
Patrick Luedtke.
Measles is a potentially
severe viral infection which
in rare cases can cause en-
cephalitis (infection of the
brain), pneumonia and low
birth weight in babies born
to infected women.
The symptoms of mea-
sles generally appear about
seven to 14 days after a
person is infected. Measles
typically begins with a high
fever, cough, runny nose
(coryza), and red, watery
eyes (conjunctivitis).
Two or three days af-
ter symptoms begin, tiny
Lane County to increase number
of curve warning signs
Lane County continues to
be among the counties with
the highest number of an-
nual traffic fatalities in the
state.
Most traffic fatalities in
Lane County occur on rural
roads or highways where ex-
cessive speed and distracted
driving are especially dan-
gerous on curving roads.
In an effort to increase
driver safety and comply
with new Federal Highway
Administration
(FHWA)
standards, Lane County is
in the process of upgrading
curve warning signs on sev-
eral of its roads.
“We know that most fa-
talities are roadway depar-
tures that involve excessive
speed,” said Lane County
Supervising Traffic Engi-
neer Steve Gallup. “Making
curves more visible — espe-
cially at night — can help us
save lives.”
The upgrade includes
more frequent use of reflec-
tive “chevron signs” at cor-
ners to better delineate the
curve of the road. Signs like
these have been shown to
reduce fatal and injury col-
lisions by 20 to 35 percent.
In 2015, 57 people died
in traffic collisions in Lane
County; a 35-percent reduc-
tion would have resulted in
19 fewer deaths that year.
Examples of the upgraded
curve warning signs can be
found at:
• Deerhorn Road, espe-
cially from milepost 5.12 to
milepost 5.93
• River Loop #2 at mile-
post 0.27
• North Fork Siuslaw
Road, especially from mile-
post 2.02 to milepost 2.87
Transportation safety is
a significant public health
issue and priority in Lane
County. In 2017, Lane
County joined the Nation-
al Strategy on Highway
Safety, known as Toward
Zero Deaths, and adopted
a countywide Transporta-
tion Safety Action Plan to
proactively respond to fatal
and severe-injury collisions.
Most fatal collisions are
roadway departures involv-
ing excessive speed and are
preventable.
More information about
Lane County’s efforts to
improve road safety can be
found at lanecounty.org/to-
wardzerodeaths.
white spots (Koplik spots)
may appear inside the
mouth.
Three to five days after
symptoms begin, a rash
breaks out. It usually be-
gins as flat red spots that
appear on the face at the
hairline and spread down-
ward to the neck, trunk,
arms, legs, and feet. Small
raised bumps may also ap-
pear on top of the flat red
spots. When the rash ap-
pears, a person’s fever may
spike to more than 104°
Fahrenheit.
After a few days, the fe-
ver subsides and the rash
fades.
“Fortunately, we have
a very good vaccine to
protect against measles
(MMR), and there is no
shortage of that vaccine
here in Lane County,” add-
ed Luedtke.
the community to the Board
of County Commissioners.
The Committee meets in
the evening of every fourth
Wednesday of every other
month.
There are a total of seven
members — one from each
commissioner’s district and
two at-large members.
Applications are due by 5
p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31.
Applications are available
at w w w.lanecounty.org/
volunteer and in the Board
of Commissioner’s Office
located at the Lane County
Public Service Building, 125
East Eighth Ave. in Eugene.
For more information
about TrAC, visit www.lane
county.org/cms/one.aspx-
?pageId=5832100.
WEATHER DATA
D ATE
Jan. 15
Jan. 16
Jan. 17
Jan. 18
Jan. 19
Jan. 20
H IGH
50
50
51
55
46
48
L OW
R AIN
38
38
45
44
40
32
0.00
0.13
0.65
0.93
0.69
0.05
Rainfall Week: 2.75”
Month: 5.40” Year: 5.40”
Courtesy of Roger Cunningham
at preventing measles; one
dose is about 93 percent ef-
fective. Children may also
get MMRV vaccine, which
protects against measles,
mumps, rubella and vari-
cella (chickenpox).
This vaccine is only li-
censed for use in chil-
dren who are 12 months
through 12 years of age.
In addition to vaccina-
tion, community members
can help prevent the spread
of measles by staying home
if they’re sick, covering
their cough or sneeze,
washing hands frequent-
ly, and disposing of tissue
paper used for coughing or
sneezing.
In order to decrease ex-
posure to others, anyone
who might show symp-
toms of measles should call
for medical advice before
going to an emergency de-
partment, doctor’s office,
urgent care office, or the
public health department.
For more information
about measles, visit www.
cdc.gov/measles/about/
signs-symptoms.html.
APPLY NOW TO SERVE
ON LANE COUNTY’S
TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
Help provide and gather community input into the County’s transportation
system and its safety improvements.
BIRTH
H A M I LT O N — L o i s
Ann Hamilton, a female
weighing 7 lbs., 6 oz., was
born to Amanda Johnson
and David Hamilton on
Jan. 22, 2019 at Peace Har-
bor Hospital.
Two volunteer positions available – preference given to coastal residents.
Apply by 5:00 p.m. on January 31, 2019.
www.lanecounty.org/volunteer
The City of Florence would like to invite you to attend the:
2019 State of the City Address
January 30, 2019 • From 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
At the Florence Events Center, 715 Quince Street
Come share some refreshments, learn more about the accomplishments of the City over the past
year, and share in what’s next for our ‘City in Motion’.
For more information, visit the City of Florence website at www.ci.florence.or.us
PRESENTING SPONSOR: SEA LION CAVES
Eleven Bands!
Three Days of Food & Fun!
Vacancies open on Lane County
Transportation Advisory Committee
The Lane County Board
of Commissioners is seek-
ing applications from com-
munity members to fill two
current vacancies on the
Transportation
Advisory
Committee (TrAC).
“Members of our Trans-
portation Advisory Com-
mittee play an incredibly
important role in our efforts
to improve road safety,” said
Transportation
Planning
Supervisor Sasha Vartanian.
“Serving on the Committee
means that you get to help
prioritize and provide direct
input on important safety
measures for Lane County
roads.”
The vacant positions are
for District 1 in West Lane
County and an at-large po-
sition.
To qualify, applicants for
the District 1 position must
live or own property within
District 1. Applicants for the
at-large position must live or
own property within Lane
County. Preference will be
given to applicants from the
coastal area.
The TrAC acts as a fo-
rum for public input into
the County’s transportation
system and serves as a liai-
son group in representing
transportation concerns of
The MMR vaccine pro-
tects against three diseases:
measles, mumps, and ru-
bella. LCPH recommends
children get two doses of
MMR vaccine, starting
with the first dose at 12
through 15 months of age,
and the second dose at 4
through 6 years of age.
Teens and adults should
also be up to date on their
MMR vaccination.
The MMR vaccine is
very safe and effective. Two
doses of MMR vaccine are
about 97 percent effective
Winter Music Festival
!
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JOHN McEUEN, NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND FOUNDING MEMBER
“ W I L L
T H E
C I R C L E
B E
U N B R O K E N ”
T O U R
C H R I S J O N E S & T H E N I G H T D R I V E R S • C H R I S KO K E S H + L J B O OT H
NORTH COUNTRY • KATIE JANE LUBIENS • TRUE NORTH • ELI WEST • CABIN FEVER NW
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FRAA Winter Arts Festival ~ Jam Sessions
Pie
Sale
~
Good
Food
~
Libations
P e r f o r m e r
M e r c h a n d i s e
JANUARY 25, 26, 27, 2019
Art & Jean Koning/Terrace Homes
Elks Lodge #1858
Le Bouchon Wine Bar & Kitchen
Oregon Pacific Bank
WinterMusicFestival.org
WMFFlorence@gmail.com
The Friends of the Florence Events Center
715 Quince St., Florence, Oregon