6A | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2021 | SIUSLAW NEWS
LCPH from page 1A
LCPH’s epidemiological (Epi)
team, including Dr. Jess Seifert, has
been looking at Florence’s cases, and
how the data showed a sharp in-
crease in mid-December. The team
went through the transcripts from
Florence’s recent cases.
“What we know is we have two
clusters. Between the two clusters,
there’s about 21 cases,” Davis said.
“When we look at the first 10 cas-
es, eight of them within those two
outbreaks had to be hospitalized. So
that gives you a sense of how serious
it was and how it tore through that
population.”
The Epi team identified at least
one commonality between the 21
cases: religious functions.
“I want to make it very clear that
Lane County Public Health in no
way, shape or form discriminates
against anyone’s religion, nor do
we single out any religious organi-
zation,” Davis said, choosing not to
identify the church or churches in-
volved in the clusters.
He continued, “I think what’s
most important is that those peo-
ple who are pursuing faith-based
activities that might be skirting or
altogether disregarding health rec-
ommendations hear this. We abso-
lutely, 100 percent are seeing a rise
in cases and a commonality is those
faith-based activities.”
In particular, these were from
small intimate gatherings like Bible
studies or religious gatherings from
the winter holidays.
“That’s where we’re seeing those
21 cases originate. And unfortu-
nately, two folks have passed away
from those two outbreaks,” Davis
said.
The Florence COVID-19 cases
range from ages 49 to 92; the rest of
the county has had cases as young
as 13.
In addition to church activities,
people also were exposed to the
virus at small gatherings, such as
game day or dinners with friends
— “Very innocuous things,” Davis
said.
But the Epi team looks at any in-
teraction with households outside
of someone’s home.
“The governor’s orders allow for
a certain amount of socialization to
an extent,” Davis said. “I think that
even people who are well-meaning
are embarking upon small gather-
ings. Unfortunately, that’s where
we’re seeing the majority of what
we’ve entitled the ‘community
spread.’”
Some bigger gatherings have also
happened, but thus far have not re-
sulted in reported cases of COVID.
Davis said that was because people
were persistent about safety mea-
sures, especially since they would
be in the public eye.
“There’s a lot of perseverance
when it comes to the safety part of
having those large gatherings and
maybe skirting the governor’s or-
ders,” he said. “There’s so much
scrutiny around it, and you don’t see
a lot of transmission. And the same
thing goes for some restaurants or
other businesses that are choosing
this out. If you’re sick, you stand
to open. I think that once they do inals.
“We are dealing with people who over here, and you stand over there,
that, they know they’re under heavy
scrutiny. And so that can contribute have the best of intentions, who because you shouldn’t be close to
to them taking measures appropri- may not agree about a few points each other. But what happens if you
here and there. And I think that as a don’t know you’re sick, but you are
ately.”
This is compared to small gath- community — and speaking direct- able to pass it on? Well, maybe we
erings, where people are sometimes ly to the Florence community — we should have everybody stand over
less likely to wear masks or main- really need to keep that in mind. here and over there.”
He added that the use of face cov-
Even though you might not agree
tain distance.
“And that’s where we’re seeing the with what someone’s doing, they’re erings also helps limit the spread of
still not a criminal. These are people water molecules, which transmit
community spread,” Davis added.
That’s also where LCPH is limit- that are looking in their heart and the virus.
“That’s not perfect by any means.
ed by its staff size, the scope of the they’re making a choice based on
… Our
county
estimates
itself and
“We’re looking at death tolls based on percentages. But those are are, if ev-
its surge
protocol, real people. Those are your parents, your siblings, your neighbors. e r y o n e
m a k i n g And it doesn’t matter what the percentages are. The fact is, that’s still w e a r s
c l o t h
it hard to
a human life. And if there’s something I can do that is rather minus- m a s k s ,
track ev-
ery con- cule in nature — putting a cloth mask on and maybe avoiding some we can
f i r m e d of the things that I enjoyed and want to do — if it was your brother, r e d u c e
case of sister, mom, dad or grandparents, you would say, ‘Absolutely, please transmis-
sion by
do that.’”
maybe 20
— Jason Davis, PIO for Lane County Public Health or 30 per-
cent,” he
COVID-19 and where they might their own reservations and the facts said. “And if that saves one human
have gone and who they might have they are receiving. For whatever life, it’s worth it. So, we should do it.”
Davis wondered if people were
reason, maybe they’re not making
been in close contact with.
“One piece of this that is causing the choice that public health will too caught up in the statistics. For
complications for us is noncom- have them make, or the choice that example, Lane County has had
pliance when it comes to contact will help us slow the spread of cases. 7,879 cases of COVID-19 since the
tracing,” Davis said. “With the clus- Nevertheless, you really can’t judge onset of the pandemic. Currently,
433 people are infections, with 30
ter from the two faith-based orga- them too harshly.”
Despite that, growing community people hospitalized. In all that time,
nizations that resulted in 21 cases,
it was like pulling teeth to get that spread puts everyone at higher risk, there have been 103 deaths.
“We’re looking at death tolls
information out of those folks. They especially as the pandemic contin-
absolutely did not want to say where ues to impact every aspect of peo- based on percentages. But those are
real people. Those are your parents,
they went to church, or what their ple’s lives.
“I think that this is a tough spot. your siblings, your neighbors. And it
gatherings were. … We haven’t
heard one restaurant that anybody It’s a tough spot for us and a tough doesn’t matter what the percentages
has gone to. We have over 100 cases, spot for Florence,” Davis said. “But I are. The fact is, that’s still a human
and yet no one’s been to a restau- will underscore the fact that the only life. And if there’s something I can
rant? No one’s been to a religious way to get through this is by partic- do that is rather minuscule in na-
function? It’s kind of hard to believe, ipating in the effort that we know ture — putting a cloth mask on and
right? That noncompliance is really works. We have about 80 years of maybe avoiding some of the things
research that says that contact trac- that I enjoyed and want to do — if it
slowing us down as well.”
was your brother, sister, mom, dad
For Davis, he said he understood ing and basic isolation works.”
He talked about the reason for or grandparents, you would say, ‘Ab-
the urge to not make trouble for
other people or businesses. Ulti- public health entities, and how solutely, please do that.’”
It comes down to empathy, Davis
mately, though, people’s safety is at they are essential to life in civiliza-
tion, just like plumbing, sewers and said, and considering the effect each
stake.
person has on those around them.
“I think people need faith right roads.
“We really have to be preaching
“All these things go into what
now and they need those gather-
ings. However, there are ways to makes people living close to each that message of community right
approach that in a way that is pro- other possible. Public health is ab- now — and having kindness, un-
health and you can still minimize solutely one of those because, up derstanding and empathy for those
until about the 1800s, we died like people who may not agree with
the spread,” he said.
For people who want to meet up, flies. We really did,” Davis said. you,” Davis said. “When we come
he suggested calling over the phone “The closer we got to each other, the out of all this, community is going
or meeting virtually on a platform shorter our life expectancy was, un- to be more important than ever.”
On top of Florence’s increasing
like Zoom. People can also meet til we figured out that maybe these
outside, as long as they maintain diseases might be resulting from us cases of COVID-19, other virus-re-
lated incidents have also popped
getting together so close.”
distance and wear masks.
As people figured out best prac- up in the area, including business-
“Unfortunately, I don’t think that
was the case in some of these gath- tices for sanitation, food prepara- es opening outside of Gov. Kate
erings,” Davis said. “I think it was a tion, healthcare and technology, Brown’s orders for the county that is
very conscious effort to not abide public health groups formed to still at “extreme risk” of community
by masking or distancing. And make sure cities could live healthily spread. In addition, social media is
abuzz about an alleged confronta-
that was really unfortunate. But and sustainably.
“That is public health in a nut- tion between a Florence resident
nevertheless, that’s where we’re at.
This is not a position that anybody shell. All we’re trying to do is make opposed to mask measures and her
wants to be in right now. With this your concentrated areas, in Flor- purposefully coughing at a visiting
situation, how do we make sense ence, Eugene/Springfield, Cottage woman and her 9-year-old daugh-
of someone wanting to see their Grove, Junction City, Dexter and ter.
Davis said that intent would have
family? How do we make sense of Oak Ridge, possible. And for you
someone wanting to see grandma to enjoy the same comforts, life ex- to be considered if people were to
in the long-term care facility, when pectancy and basic human needs as create a legal suit.
“Just for the sake of argument, if
she maybe has a few months to live? someone who makes half a million
You can’t prioritize that. There’s no dollars. That’s what our aim is, and someone was intentionally intend-
ing to cough on other people, then
government algorithm that’s going that’s what we do,” he said.
So, what can people do? Follow that is absolutely an anti-social act
to account for that.”
that would border on assault, and
Davis emphasized that the people current guidelines, Davis insisted.
“Any kindergartner could figure certainly is prosecutable. It’s go-
involved in outbreaks are not crim-
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For more information about
LCPH, visit lanecounty.org.
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ing to be really difficult to prove,
however; our local law enforcement
are absolutely our allies in that sort
of instance,” he said.
Siuslaw News is continuing to
look into the accusations initially
made through a social media post.
As for people opposing the cur-
rent health mandates, Davis said he
encourages dissent and disagree-
ment, and wants people to have
conversations. What he doesn’t
want, however, is for people to be
put in harmful situations.
“Think about all the people
whose lives you might be taking
into your hands when you make
some of these choices,” he said. “It’s
too much for one person. I’m not
saying that I’m going to shake my
finger at you. It’s that I don’t want
to accept that kind of responsibility.
Don’t be responsible for someone
dying.”
LCPH advocates for a pro-social
messages and wants to see people
promoting health and safety just as
loudly as people who are opposed to
the recent measures.
“Unfortunately, some of individu-
als have latched on to this and made
it political. … And it’s ridiculous.
We need to stop it. This is health,
this is not politics. Let’s just focus
on keeping people well, preventing
death and doing what it takes to get
through this.”
For many people, that will include
eventually receiving a COVID-19
vaccination. Lane County is work-
ing on its vaccination plan. That
will be dependent on the amount of
vaccines LCPH receives and when.
“Vaccines are a huge develop-
ment that we’re trying to manage,”
Davis said. “We put in a request for
2,500 doses for public health. We re-
ceived 100.”
Florence will be included in any
vaccination plans, though there is
no set timeline yet.
“We know that you have a lot of
folks who are older or who are med-
ically fragile. We want to make sure
that we protect your community.
So, the first opportunity we have to
make that publicly available, we will
do so,” Davis said.
It comes down to community, not
just within the Florence area, but
the whole county.
“We have the opportunity to
come together like we’ve never come
together before and support each
other in ways that are not based on
supply and demand. It’s based on
giving and kindness,” Davis said. “If
we could take those lessons away
and come out of the pandemic like
that, what a better world we’d live
in. And I still think we have that op-
portunity. It may sound naive, and
I know some people will inevitably
roll their eyes at that sort of state-
ment. But that’s the opportunity we
have.
“The stakes are very high. We
have people in our community who
don’t need to die yet. And they are.
You have 14,000 people in the Flor-
ence zip code. Two of them have
died. That’s too many.”
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