6A | SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2020 | SIUSLAW NEWS
RESPONSE from page 1A
People can call the
non-emergency lines of
WLFEA, 541-997-3212, the
Florence Police Department,
541-997-3515, or the Lane
County Sheriff ’s Office, 541-
682-4150. In case of an emer-
gency, people can also call
911.
“All you need to say is,
‘Hey, I need to talk to an
MCR member,’” Reyes said.
“We’re just trying to get out
there in the community so
they see our faces and can
feel comfortable with us.
We’re not big, bad and scary.”
Reyes, an EMT who also
works at PeaceHealth Peace
Harbor, spoke with Siuslaw
News about the program,
as well as the fears that she’s
hearing from the communi-
ty, both through MCR and
from personal conversations.
The discussion led to how
people can take care of their
mental health, as well as what
we do know about the virus,
what we don’t, and what a
“new normal” could look
like as the world adjusts to
COVID-19.
“I think people are silent-
ly struggling with a lot of
things,” Reyes said. “They
just don’t know what’s out
there. That’s why we want-
ed to reach out. They don’t
know that there are resourc-
es. That you’re not going to
be seen by the cops or the
ambulance. You’re just going
to have a friendly face that
says, ‘What’s going on, how
can I assist you in this horri-
ble situation?’”
‘Anxious and depressed’
Of those Reyes has spoken
with, “We’re getting a lot of
people anxious and panicky
about this whole thing,” she
said. “We come talk to them.
We’re wearing our masks and
trying to be as approachable
as possible, even though they
can’t see our face. We can go
for a walk, talk to them a little
bit about things that they can
still do. We ask questions —
‘What’s causing discomfort
right now? Why are you so
anxious?’ Try and figure out
what’s going on and trying to
figure out what’s causing this
anxiety.”
The concerns are touching
all aspects of society — from
parents stressed by children
at home, to concerns of the
EARTH from page 1A
Unfortunately, there were
few rules at the time regard-
ing the collateral destruction
of the environment which
accompanied this extraction
of resources.
Industrial production pro-
duced millions of tons of air
borne particulates which
caused widespread “acid
rains” that severely damaged
vast stretches of forests and
rivers across states in the
Northeast.
Scientists had proven by
the late 1960s that many of
the chemicals used in the
agricultural sector, primar-
ily to eradicate insects and
small mammals, were poi-
sonous and had started to
enter the human food chain.
These pesticides did more
than kill pests; there was a
strong likelihood that those
same pesticides could kill
people as well. Rivers and
streams across the nation
had measurable levels of nu-
merous types of toxins, often
released by unregulated in-
dustrial operations, many of
them related to lumber and
newly unemployed, or those of the most important being “They’re very active, and so worried about it.”
suddenly isolated.
to get outside.
Arguments over grocery
they shouldn’t just be put in
“People are concerned
“Everybody needs sun- front of a computer all day store etiquette has become
about getting their medica- shine — it’s literally called and be told to play video a mainstay on social me-
tions, or have just stopped the happy drug,” Reyes said. games. They need to grow dia, while some instances
getting them altogether,” “The sun gives you happiness and be as active as possible.” of threatened violence have
Reyes said. “Or sometimes and makes you feel better.
Reyes suggested that been reported. There’s been
people aren’t taking their Whether it be by yourself or along with remote learning local backlash to anyone
medications because they your animals, even if it’s just assignments from school, who lives outside the state
forget to.”
sitting in the yard reading a parents should find time to — or has license plates from
Anxiety has been known to book. It just helps take care of keep children active with elsewhere — while disagree-
lead to memory loss, particu- you, and there’s lots of things activities, whether it’s giving ments on the severity of the
larly for those
disease
have
with
mental
created deep
“I think people are silently struggling with a lot of things. They divisions.
health issues or
just don’t know what’s out there. That’s why we wanted to reach
dementia.
Nat i on a l ly,
“Some peo- out. They don’t know that there are resources. ... You’re just going some citizens in
ple are getting
to have a friendly face that says, ‘What’s going on, how can I assist states that have
anxious about
been hit partic-
people being you in this horrible situation?’”
ularly hard by
— Camille Reyes, Siuslaw Region Mobile Crisis Response Team the economic
in their house
all of a sudden.
downturn, have
They don’t re-
begun protest-
member why,” Reyes said.
we can still do outside while younger children blocks to ing state stay-at-home laws,
For some, there’s the stress maintaining social distanc- “build a castle or their dream defying orders and gathering
of being around people all ing.”
home” or having older chil- at the state capital.
the time. For others, it’s the
For times inside, Reyes dren “rebuild a car or do car-
“People are getting rest-
stress of being alone.
stressed exercising and eat- pentry.”
less,” Reyes said. “They want
There are those suffering ing as healthy as possible.
“Instead of just having to get back to normalcy.
from alcoholism, who are
“Stay as active as possible,” them on the computer, have It’s bizarre how we quickly
becoming “more secretive,” Reyes said.
them build a computer,” stopped everything and now
Reyes said. “They’re going
For those isolated and Reyes said. “Just keep them we’re wanting to open it back
to the liquor store, bringing alone, Reyes suggests reach- motivated.”
up just as quickly. It seems
it home, and then you don’t ing out to people through
For those with clinically like some people are afraid,
hear from them. They can phone or social media, in- diagnosed issues with their and some people aren’t.
go into a depression that just cluding video calls.
mental health, they should There isn’t a happy medium.”
spirals out of control.”
To begin to find that me-
“For our older population “keep in contact with the
Then there are concerns who can’t read or see well, people who know you and dium, it’s important to un-
about COVID-19 symp- have friends or family make a know you’re cues, what’s go- derstand the facts at hand,
toms — people suffering recording of a book they can ing on, let them try and help Reyes suggested; the most
from anxiety can get physi- hear. Just keep in contact.”
out as much as possible,” glaring of these is, we don’t
cal symptoms that mimic the
But isolation isn’t the only Reyes said, while stressing know a lot of facts.
virus, which in turn makes issue. For some, suddenly that people should keep in
“Is it going to come back?
them more anxious.
full households make it diffi- regular contact with mental Is our being secluded the
There are individuals with cult to feel independent with health experts.
only thing that’s stopping it?”
clinical issues, like depression family members constantly
While many of the sugges- Reyes asked. “Are the people
and bipolar disorder, who are around.
tions Reyes made are good who are healthy carriers of
seeing symptoms flare in the
“Maybe they can go into measures in a hard time, she COVIF-19? When we get out
pandemic. Others, who have different rooms and you stated they are no substitute of this, will they start spread-
yet to be diagnosed, are ex- don’t have to spend as much for social interaction.
ing this? We have to think
periencing symptoms for the time together, but you’re still
“At least for a long-term long term. How are we going
first time.
together,” Reyes said.
solution,” she said. “We crave to cope with this if it’s going
“It’s frightening when they
And everyone should re- that human interaction. to happen again?”
don’t know exactly what’s go- fuse to lose sight of the things Whether it just be giving a
While
scientists
do
ing on,” Reyes said.
that kept them happy before hug, or a simple handshake, know some specifics about
And then there’s just a gen- the pandemic.
I think we all crave that hu- COVID-19, there seems to
eral sense of loss.
be more that they don’t.
“Do things that you still man interaction.”
“We’re starting to see peo- like to do,” Reyes said. “Sit-
First, it is unknown if all
ple miss what they think are ting out in your garden,
carriers can build an immu-
‘Getting restless’
essential to their lives,” Reyes planting things. Doing
One of Reyes’ most vital nity, with reports coming
said. “But we want people to things that you like to do suggestions was to treat each in from China that people
make sure they know we’re while still being mindful of other well. As the pandem- who had caught the virus
out there, and we’re there everybody’s health as possi- ic has created devastation once, caught it a second time
to talk to if you need any ble. People seem to forget all throughout the world, fear months later.
help with anything, if you the things they can still do.” has begun to manifest itself
It’s also unknown how
start getting anxious and de-
long COVID-19 has been
Parenting is particularly locally.
pressed or suicidal. We are stressful with school build-
“I coughed the other day active, with reports stating
here to talk through what’s ings closed and many adults because I have allergies, and that it was much earlier than
going on and get you help.”
either recently unemployed people were just mean-mug- thought.
“I read that somebody had
ging me,” Reyes said. “I was
or working at home.
‘Just keep in contact’
“Kids’ minds still need like, ‘I’m sorry, I have aller- it back in November,” Reyes
There are some general to develop and they still gies, I don’t have COVID, said. “How did we not know
suggestions Reyes gives, one need to learn,” Reyes said. don’t worry.’ But they’re just about this before?”
paper production.
Many of the chemicals
used in these various pro-
cesses were negatively im-
pacting fish and crustaceans
in waterways, in addition to
harming wildlife that lived in
riparian areas.
Veterans were returning
from an unpopular war with
health issues which were
traced to defoliants used in
the jungles of Vietnam and
Laos to destroy encamp-
ments in enemy territories.
These factors coalesced
with socially oriented chang-
es in racial and gender equal-
ity to launch a movement
that encompassed not only
the environment but many
areas of American culture.
The focus and attention
directed by that first Earth
Day coalition towards the
way humans use — and often
misuse — the Earth was one
of the most influential single
events in modern American
history.
The first Earth Day made
that point abundantly clear
and the event is considered
the critical spark which ig-
nited today’s Environmental
Let me Showcase your property.
Movement.
It was also a launching
point for a series of legisla-
tive initiatives that became
cornerstones in the fight to
save the planet from human
actions. The unrest on col-
lege campuses and the focus
on social justice combined
to alter forever the narrative
of America — and the first
Earth Day was the singular
event that framed many of
the debates taking place to-
day.
The Clean Air and Water
Acts were signed into law in
1971 by Richard Nixon, who
also established the Environ-
mental Protection Agency
and signed the Endangered
Species Act into law in 1973.
Each of these developments
came as a direct result of the
public’s newly discovered in-
terest in protecting the bio-
sphere.
The theme of Earth Day
2020, according to the web-
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site Earthday.org, is “Climate
Change.”
The Earth Day website is
a comprehensive guide to
many different aspects of the
numerous challenges that
face those struggling around
the world to deal with thou-
sands of instances of envi-
ronmental crimes. The web-
site also offers stay-at-home
options for those wanting
to participate in some type
of environmentally oriented
activities, while practicing
social distancing and isola-
tion.
One of the most visually
compelling pages on the site
is a map of the world which
includes different color cir-
cles, indicating different
types of events, with circles
spreading around the plan-
et. The variety of virtual op-
tions includes live streaming
of films, virtual lectures and
numerous online webinars.
Earth Day Network Pres-
ident Kathleen Rogers em-
phasized that times of strug-
gle can produce unique and
meaningful opportunities
for education and action.
“This
unprecedented
time has stopped us all in
our tracks,” said Rogers. “As
each of us ensures that those
around us are safe and well,
it is in a momentous op-
portunity to examine our
individual and collective re-
lationship with the natural
world and how our activities
impact the planet. The way
forward is hopeful, and we
have an opportunity to for-
ever change how we interact
with the environment in our
own backyard and our com-
munity at large.”
Another way that interest-
ed individuals can help from
home is by joining the Earth
Challenge 2020, A Citizen
Science Initiative and the
world’s largest ever coordi-
nated citizen science cam-
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It is unknown how many
people globally have actu-
ally been infected, what the
full range of symptoms are,
the long-term risk factors or
even how deadly the disease
actually is.
“There’s just so much we
don’t know,” Reyes said.
‘Who we are’
All the uncertainty na-
tionwide adds to the stress
of the situation, particu-
larly in small communities
like those in the Siuslaw re-
gion where concerns over
COVID-19 can be amplified
through speculation and ru-
mor among neighbors and
through social media.
So, what can we do?
“That’s a hard question,”
Reyes said. “We should be
doing things that we were
always supposed to be doing
— washing our hands, being
as clean as possible. Don’t
cough out in the open, cough
in your sleeve. We just need
to be as clean as possible. I
think we lost that along the
way.”
And how do we find a bal-
ance between being cautious
without becoming mentally
immobilized?
“I have no idea what it
looks like,” Reyes said. “I
don’t have all the answers,
and I never will. I just want
to help the people in this
community get back to a
happy medium that I have
no idea what it looks like.”
Some of the best estimates
of when a vaccine could be
found is one year from now,
while other estimates have
this “new normal” extend as
far as 2022. However, some
scientists believe that there
will be aspects of the re-
sponse that will remain per-
manent.
“I wish we could go back
to how we were, but it doesn’t
look like it’s going to happen
anytime soon,” Reyes said.
To be able to handle the
new reality, community
members will have to work
together, stay mentally
healthy and help each other.
“The one thing I do know
is that people’s interaction is
needed. That’s how we sur-
vive,” Reyes said. “Going out
to lunches and doing those
things. We need our friends,
our families, our coworkers
— the morale that helps keep
us who we are.”
paign.
The initiative integrates
existing citizen science proj-
ects and builds capacity for
new ones — all to grow cit-
izen science worldwide. Us-
ing mobile technology and
open citizen science data,
Earth Challenge 2020 em-
powers people around the
world to monitor and miti-
gate threats to environmen-
tal and human health in their
communities. The challenge
is designed to increase the
amount of open source sci-
entific data which hopefully
will add our understanding
of complex environmental
questions.
“Now, people everywhere
can help build the most
up-to-date scientific assess-
ments needed globally, and
at the same time take ac-
tion locally. Everyone can
become a citizen scientist
See CHALLENGE page 7A
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