SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2021 | 7A
HEALTH from page 1A
Dr. Doug Koekkoek said that
nearly 80% of PeaceHealth
caregivers had already been
vaccinated.
On Sept. 1, local Peace-
Health officials released a
statement about employee
vaccination data in Lane
County. While some new
numbers were still coming in,
“In the spirit of transparency,
at this time we can offer the
following range of unvac-
cinated caregivers: 350-500
(6-9%) caregivers for all areas
of the PeaceHealth Oregon
network, including hospitals,
clinics and administrative
settings. Or, pulling just the
hospital figures out of that to-
tal: 250-375 (6-9%) caregiv-
ers within PeaceHealth’s four
Lane County hospitals.”
According to the health
care network, this new policy
is a reflection of the organiza-
tion’s commitment to ensure
every patient receives safe
care at PeaceHealth and is
part of an approach to protect
both caregivers and patients.
Ormersher echoed this,
saying, “With the increase in
COVID cases, it really is im-
portant at this time that we’re
taking every measure possi-
ble to prevent further spread.”
She said the messag-
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ing around COVID hasn’t
changed that much since the
pandemic began in March
2020 or since more of the
community has become vac-
cinated.
“The mainstay of prevent-
ing spread is really the same
…: wearing a mask, avoiding
large gatherings, especially
if you’re in unmasked situa-
tions, and getting vaccinated,”
she said.
Even if someone does get
the virus after getting vac-
cinated, “the vaccine does
help,” Ormersher said. “It re-
duces the length of illness —
and that has been shown in
multiple studies — it reduc-
es the severity of illness, and
it does reduce spread of the
infection. You may see break-
through cases, as no vaccine
is 100% effective.”
Two frequently-used vac-
cines, Pfizer, which earned
FDA approval at the end of
August, and Moderna, have
about 80% efficacy in pre-
venting infection. When
added with social distancing,
masking and avoiding close
contact, health officials hope
to see COVID numbers go
down.
“An example of a close
contact within a very short
period of time is if you kiss
someone. That’s techni-
cally something you really
shouldn’t be doing,” Ormer-
sher said. “We could get into
a long list of do’s and don’ts.
Kissing people equals high
risk of COVID spread, but
talking to someone in close
contact without masks is
moderate risk. Talking to-
gether, both with masks, is
lower risk. Kissing someone
with a French kiss is going
to be a high risk of spread.
You’re very up close and per-
sonal at that point.”
PeaceHealth is also work-
ing on other ways to de-
crease hospitalization due
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CHURCH DIRECTORY
to COVID-19. Beginning
last week in Eugene and
next week in Florence, the
health care network is of-
fering monoclonal antibody
IV therapy. The goal of the
treatment is to prevent hospi-
talizations, reduce viral loads
and lessen symptom severity.
This treatment is a form of
immunotherapy tradition-
ally used for patients with
cancer and other diseases
and has shown to be effec-
tive for patients who have
mild to moderate symptoms
from COVID-19 and are at
high risk of complications.
The treatment also is active
against the delta variant.
“Monoclonal antibodies
are immune, lab-produced
molecules designed to mimic
the body’s natural response to
infection,” Ormersher said.
“With COVID-19, these an-
tibodies are made to recog-
nize and bind to a part of the
SARS-Co-V2 virus — the so-
called spike protein — that
enables it to infect human
cells.”
She added, “The antibody
will help prevent the virus
from getting into ourselves,
and then also notifies our
body that this virus is there,
and it needs to be attacked
and destroyed.”
Tests so far have shown
the therapy to be effective at
reducing hospitalizations by
about 70%.
“This is really trying to
help prevent you from even
getting into the hospital,”
Ormersher said. “That’s real-
ly the role of this monoclonal
therapy so that you don’t get
severe enough that you even
have to enter the door.”
She said it’s “a pretty big
deal” that PeaceHealth Peace
Harbor will be able to admin-
ister the therapy, as it will be
one of two sites in the region.
“That’s breaking news.
I heard that just (Tuesday)
morning,” Ormersher said.
That means coastal resi-
dents referred for the treat-
ment can stay local rather
than drive to eastern Lane
County.
It’s just one of the avenues
PeaceHealth has explored to
keep the community safe.
“Right now, we need to
be keeping our emergency
rooms for emergencies other
than COVID. People still get
into accidents, people still
have appendicitis, people still
have heart attacks. We need
to make sure we’re taking
care of everyone in the ER,”
Ormersher said.
It will require people to
stick with safety mandates a
little longer.
“In Oregon, we have done
a phenomenal job early on
with our social distancing
and our masking. Everyone
was really part of this and
being a part of the solution.
As we’ve gotten further along
into this pandemic, people
have become a little bit more
weary … and so people have
become more lax in their
response to COVID,” Orm-
ersher said. “Given this, we
are seeing a lot more hos-
pitalizations, because a lot
more people are getting sick.
This isn’t just in the large
communities. This isn’t just
in Eugene/Springfield. We’re
seeing increases in Florence
and on the coast as well. So
this is a problem that is oc-
curring throughout Oregon,
in general.”
Help is coming however,
this time in the form of Na-
tional Guard service mem-
bers who will provide sup-
port to staff at RiverBend
in Springfield; PeaceHealth
Sacred Heart Medical Cen-
ter, University District in
Eugene; and Cottage Grove
Community Medical Center.
The guard will be deployed
through the month of Sep-
tember.
The timing is right on tar-
get, too.
“I can definitely see that
people are tired,” Ormersher
said of health care staff. “We
are stretched thin. We have
nursing shortages, we have
pharmacy shortages. Doctors
are working areas that they
don’t normally manage rou-
tinely … so they’re not all in
their comfort zone. Our peo-
ple are feeling tired, they’re
feeling stressed.
“And they really would like
the message out there about
masking and vaccinations.
We really need to do every-
thing we can to help prevent
patients from getting sick, be-
cause coming in the hospital
is just very difficult. It’s not
just COVID that we have to
take care of.”
Plus, local partnerships
are forming between Peace-
Health and other health care
organizations such as the
Willamette Valley Cancer In-
stitute and Nova Urgent Care.
“There is a lot of hope and
a lot of community support
that we’re seeing within the
healthcare system — where
everyone’s leaning on each
other and getting the support
needed to make sure that we
can take care of patients the
best we can, and provide the
best services to our commu-
nity as a whole,” Ormersher
said.
Members of the communi-
ty, after all, are who the health
care system are working to
protect.
As the schoolyear begins,
Ormersher said there is no
news yet about vaccinations
for youth under 12 years old,
but those vaccinations may
be approved by the end of the
year.
She encouraged families to
be ready for school.
“We’re going back to the
normal things we teach our
kids when they talk about
flu seasons — making sure
you have good hand hygiene,
making sure that you mask.
If your child is sick, please
do not send them to school.
… It is important to follow
the school guidance and rec-
ommendations because they
were put in place for a rea-
son. Not just to make people
mad, but as a societal benefit
as a whole. I guess the theme
of this is patience is a virtue
that we need to continue to
preach.”
For more information, visit
peacehealth.org.
To include your organization in this directory,
please call us @ 541-997-3441
BAHA’I FAITH OF FLORENCE
FOURSQUARE CHURCH
Ongoing Devotions, Study Circles, Services to the
1624 Highway 101 (next to A&W) –- 997-6337
Community, Join us on Facebook.
Join your friends via zoom, Monday’s 7:30-8:30p.m. Pastor George Pagel – Something for the entire family.
Sun. Services: 9:00 a.m. & 10:45 a.m.
“SPIRITUAL CONVERSATIONS”
Wednesday Bible Study returns this Fall.
Florence Baha’i Community For info: 541-590-0779
Website: fl orence4square.com
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
NEW LIFE LUTHERAN E.L.C.A.
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
21st & Spruce Streets—997-8113
2705 Munsel Lake Road, All are welcome!
Sunday Worship Services are at 10 AM & 11:15 AM. Interim Pastor David Brauer-Rieke, All are welcome.
Sunday in-person worship service@ 10:30.
Bishop Larry Farnsworth 541-999-1979
Also available to you on website
www.fl orencenewlifelutheran.org.
COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
4590 Hwy. 101, Across from Fred Meyer –- 997-7418
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THE SIUSLAW
Sunday School, 9:30a.m. – Worship, 10:45
3996 N Hwy 101 541-997-7136
Wed. Prayer - 6:00 p.m. –
Internet and in person Sunday services at 10AM,
Wed. Ministries 1-8 Grade 7 p.m.
Call the church for details.
Reverend Greg Wood
CROSS ROAD ASSEMBLY OF GOD
All Welcome. Come as you are.
Corner of 10th & Maple- 541-997-3533
Sunday Services are 9am and 11am and on
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS)
Facebook live and KCST at 11am
“War is still not the answer.” FCNL
Wednesdays at 7pm
We meet Sunday’s at 11am in our homes.
https://www.fl orencecrossroadag.org/church-online
Call 408-482-1141 or 541-997-4237 for locations.
Other platforms update after the service.
fl orencecrossroadag.org
RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH, L.C.M.S.
offi ce@fl orencecrossroadag.org
Worship Services 10 am • Bible Study 9:00 am
Pastor Steve Waterman
FLORENCE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
85294 Hwy. 101 S. – 997-8038
2nd & Ivy - 541-997-2961 - Non-Denominational
DVD of Weekly worship service available.
Service is on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
www.puppro.wixite.com/rlcfl orence
Sunday Service also streaming live at 10:00 am
at fl orencechurch.com
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL
Church Welcomes You
FLORENCE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Worship
Sun.
9am Wed 11am 2135 19th St.
Pre-Denominational (Romans 16:16)
541-997-6600 standssecretary19@gmail.com Labyrinth &
1833 Tamarack Street
Garden daily 8am-5pm
(2 blocks east of Hwy. 101 on 18th St.)
“Be the change.”
Bible Study: Sunday 10 a.m.; Worship: Sunday 11 a.m.
www.churchofchristfl orence.org
SAINT MARY, OUR LADY OF THE DUNES
CATHOLIC CHURCH
FLORENCE EVANGELICAL CHURCH
1.5 miles south of river on Hwy 101 – 997-2312
1318 Rhododendron Dr. • 541-997-2523
COVID-19 Compliant Masses have been scheduled.
Sunday Service 11am ( Children Sunday School)
Please call our offi ce for details.
Mid-Week Activities, all ages.
Monday, September 6, 2021
One of the things that makes this a great country to live
in, is our dedicated work force. This Labor Day, it’s
with pride and pleasure that we salute the working men
and women who help keep our nation strong, improving
the quality of life for all of us. Keep up the good work!
Enjoy your holiday and stay safe.
This message brought to you by these sponsors:
IN MOTION 101
COASTAL MOVING
SIUSLAW SCHOOL DISTRICT
FLORENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT
FLORENCE PHARMACY
FLORENCE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
4445 Hwy 101 (South of Fred Meyer) – 997-3951
Worship on Saturday 11:00 A.M.
Adult/Children’s Sabbath School 10:00 A.M.
JACK MOBLEY CONSTRUCTION
LES SCHWAB TIRE CENTER
FLORENCE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP
87738 Hwy 101 at Heceta Beach Road
RUAUU? All are welcome to explore the answer.
Until it is safe to meet in person, Sunday Worship Services
are available 24/7 on our website: www.florenceuuf.org
FLORENCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
2nd & Kingwood • (541) 997-6025
Link to Sunday services at
www.fl orenceunitedmethodist.org
or fi nd us on Facebook.
2019
WESTERN LANE AMBULANCE DISTRICT
Give us a call 541-997-3441
to get us your updates or email to:
mberg@thesiuslawnews.com
SIUSLAW VALLEY FIRE & RESCUE