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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (July 16, 2020)
6A | JULY 16, 2020 LCPH from A1 COVID. All of this is dependent on individu- al actions.” Davis believed the sit- uation in smaller com- munities like Cottage Grove can be aggravat- ed by the number of tourists coming to the region, filling up park- ing lots and crowding downtown streets. “We are certainly try- ing to do our very best to discourage people from unnecessary trav- el, to encourage them to stay home if they can or reevaluate their trav- el plans. But it’s a hard thing to message,” Davis said. Still, the crowds are coming, which creates an issue for the unique population of the area. “In public health, we take a harm-reduction approach. Basically, the assertion is that when it comes to anything from seatbelts to speeding, people don’t fully grasp or behave in a preven- tative fashion until they have experienced the negative results of an ac- tion,” Davis said. “Since it’s not our business to go out and spread dis- eases so we can be more effective in our messag- ing, all we can do is say, ‘Hey, we understand that you want to get outside. We understand that this is tough. If you go outside and you see a gathering of people, walk around them, cross the street, don’t go near | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL them.” It’s also vital for res- idents to follow safe practices when they are at home as well. “If you’re going to have a gathering in your house, and it’s three peo- ple, examine whether or not you have to do it,” Davis said. “If you feel like you absolutely have to do it, make sure you have six feet between ev- erybody in your house and make sure you have a mask on if you can. And if the options are available, meet in the backyard instead of in- side the house. It’s just little things like that. If you have to do these ac- tivities, try and do it as safely as possible.” It’s particularly im- portant to adhere to safe practices during per- sonal interactions. “The workplace is a perfect example,” said Davis. “So, we have these businesses where there’s no transmission happening on the floor. Not a single customer is getting sick. The only people who are getting sick are those who are wearing masks all day long. That’s because, as soon as they get off work, they go on back and share a cigarette with someone. You just completely defeated the purpose of this whole thing.” Davis stated that the regulations imposed by the state aren’t simply to check a box on a preven- tion list, but to encour- age behavior that leads to actual results. “There’s a changeable outcome to this behav- ior. If you don’t practice it all the time, you miss the point,” Davis said. “If you wear a mask when you go to the grocery store, wear a mask when you invite friends over — because it’s the same type of interaction.” The warnings come as Oregon Gov. Kate Brown extended mask requirements to out- doors and restricted private gatherings to 10 people or less on Mon- day. “The COVID-19 dis- ease is spreading rapid- ly across the entire state of Oregon,” Brown said in a news conference. “Each and every one of us needs to take action — immediate action — to slow the spread of the disease.” Oregon has seen more cases reported in the past week than it has for the entire month of May. July also saw 100 cases reported in a sin- gle day, which hasn’t oc- curred in over a month. Half of all current cas- es are people under the age of 40, and the state recorded its second death from someone in their 30s. “We have done so much, we have come so far, we have sacrificed so deeply — we cannot let this virus get the best of us,” Brown said. “To- day, we are sounding the alarm because we are at risk of allowing the vi- rus to spiral out of con- trol. This is what we saw in New York this spring, and it’s what we’re see- ing today in Texas, Flor- ida and Arizona. The question now is whether Oregon will be the next New York or next Tex- as.” Starting yesterday (July 15), face coverings are also required out- doors if people aren’t able to maintain a phys- ical distance of at least six feet. “Any time you are out- doors and can’t man- age a physical distance of six feet, and you are with people you don’t live with, please, please, please put on a face cov- ering,” said Brown. As for enforcement of the mandate, the gover- nor stated that it would still be up to businesses to enforce the rule. “If a restaurant has outdoor seating, if a grocery store has a line out front or if a ven- ue is hosting an event, businesses will have to include face coverings outdoors as part of their operation plan, just as they have for indoor spaces,” she said. Brown stated that there has been a state- wide enforcement team that has been tasked with ensuring business- es are enforcing face covering requirements. Over the Fourth of July weekend, the task force visited over 800 busi- nesses across the state. “For those businesses that are not following the rules, there will be serious consequences, including citations, fines and ultimately closing down businesses that refuse to protect their employees and their customers,” Brown said. Additionally, the gov- ernor mandated that private gatherings, such as potlucks, dinner par- ties and book clubs, can- not exceed 10 people. The rule does not apply to businesses or church- es, which have been im- plementing state man- dates and have not been a major cause of spread in Oregon. “Indoor group social gatherings are fueling much of the spread,” said OHA Director Pat Allen. “Since Oregon began reopening, we’ve seen new clusters and outbreaks of COVID-19 when people get togeth- er inside, especially in small social gatherings with family and friends. It’s understandable why this occurs. You’re with family and friends and that feels inherently safe. People think less about taking the pre- cautions they need to protect themselves and their friends and family from COVID-19.” Brown was aware that the state would not be able to enforce the pri- vate gathering mandate. “I’m not going to set up the ‘party police,’” she said. “The proof will be in the numbers. Ei- ther people will adhere to this requirement and become a positive force for stopping COVID-19, or I will be forced to take more restrictive measures. No one wants that.” Other states in the nation, including Tex- as and California, have taken steps to close bars and restaurants entirely as their infection rate spreads. Brown has not gone that far yet, hop- ing that people will take personal responsibility to help slow the spread. However, if the numbers in Oregon do not be- gin to decrease, “noth- ing is off the table,” she said. The state may see a return to some of the shutdown mandates seen at the beginning of the pandemic. “I want the press and the public to note that so many Oregonians are already wearing face coverings and limiting their in-person social gatherings — Thank you, thank you,” Brown said. “I know this is hard. It’s really hard. It’s lasting much longer, and the virus is much tough- er to beat than any of us would ever wish.” But despite the major- ity of Oregonians’ best efforts, the virus has still spread. “It may still be possi- ble for us to keep bars, restaurants and shops open, to gather again in larger groups, to contin- ue to hike, camp and go to parks,” Brown said. “But it all depends on us. “Our choices will de- termine our future.” Reduce Distractions Behind the Wheel Despite the fact that automobiles are now de- signed with more safety features than ever be- fore, the rate of traffi c accidents and fatalities continue to rise. Th e National Safety Council says safety improvement like crash-avoidance technology hasn’t reduced accidents, and driver error is still to blame for many crashes — with distractions behind the wheel and impaired driving leading the way. Th e National Highway Traffi c Safety Ad- ministration says distracted driving claimed 3,450 lives in 2016 alone. Distracted driving is defi ned as any activity that diverts driv- ers’ attention from the road. Th is can include everything from talking to passengers to eat- ing to fi ddling with the car radio. However, distractions from technology have become especially alarming, particularly texting or reading phones while driving. During daylight hours, approximately 481,000 drivers typically use cell phones while driving. Th e NHTSA says that removing one’s eyes from the road for a mere 5 seconds when traveling at 55 miles per hour is like driving the length of a football fi eld with your eyes closed. Reducing distractions should be a priority for all drivers. Here are some suggestions, cour- tesy of Geico insurance and AAA Exchange. • Store loose gear and other items that can roll around away from the driver’s seat so you are not tempted to reach for them. • Adjust mirrors, GPS maps, climate con- trols, music, and more before you put the car in drive. • Use a mobile phone only for emergency purposes and only aft er pulling over to the side of the road. Avoid social conversations on the phone while driv- ing. • Limit the number of passengers you allow inside your car. Th e more passengers, the more distractions. Th is is especially true for young drivers. • Eat food before getting in the car. Snacking while driving makes you less attentive to the road around you. • Secure children and pets accordingly. Both should wear harnesses and not be given free reign to roam around the car. • Try to focus only on driving while in the car. Leave the multitasking to when you’re not behind the wheel. Geico indicates that studies have shown people are limited in the amount of information they can process at any one time. Driving requires focus and an ability to react to a host of poten- tial circumstances. Distractions compromise drivers’ ability to focus. Reducing distractions can considerably cut down on the number of motor vehicle accidents each year. 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