STATE & NATION
TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 2021
BAKER CITY HERALD — 5A
Oregon stands apart in some COVID policies
■ Gov. Kate Brown’s decision to put teachers ahead of some seniors for vaccines illustrates autonomy that states have
Adding to the timeline
troubles was a Feb. 3 federal
Oregon vaccinates teachers
court order requiring Brown
before seniors.
to immediately start vacci-
California punishes hospi-
nating about 12,000 inmates
tals for vaccinating teachers.
at Oregon correctional facili-
Washington vaccinates all
ties. About 28% of inmates
seniors — and warns older
had been infected with
Oregonians against trying to
COVID-19, compared to 3%
sneak north for an early shot.
of Oregon’s overall popula-
Governors around the
tion. The delay in vaccination
country have issued edicts
violated the U.S. Constitution
during the COVID-19
ban against “cruel and un-
crisis that often confl ict with
usual punishment.” The state
neighboring states, creating
did not appeal the ruling.
a national patchwork of dos
Caplan, the NYU ethicist,
and don’ts.
said governors who deviate
“States are all over the
sharply from federal guide-
place,” said Dr. Arthur
lines risk cracking public
Caplan, director of New York
consensus.
CDC/Contributed Photo
University Langone’s Divi-
“Why are elderly in group
A COVID-19 particle is pictured in this image provided by homes vaccinated, but the
sion of Medical Ethics. “It’s
rarely clear why restrictions the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
elderly living on their own
are expanded or removed.
must wait?” Caplan asked
Criteria are modifi ed without “States are all over the place. It’s rarely clear why
rhetorically. “Why are teach-
explanation.”
ers more important than the
restrictions are expanded or removed. Criteria are
The COVID-19 pandemic
grocery store bagger or UPS
is the greatest public health modifi ed without explanation.”
guy?”
crisis in a century, made all
— Dr. Arthur Caplan, director of New York University
Political favoritism?
Langone’s Division of Medical Ethics
the more diffi cult by strict
The governor’s objectiv-
adherence to a geographical
ity was called into question
fi ction: The United States is
ulation against a potentially are 7,900 times more likely to because she had received
50 distinct states.
$240,000 in contributions
deadly virus fi ts the bill.
Hawaii is an island in
die, according to the CDC.
Gov. Kate Brown promised
the middle of the Pacifi c.
All but fi ve states followed from the Oregon Education
All other states are con-
Oregon would distribute the the recommendation, includ- Association PAC in her 2018
nected by land mass, with
shots with equity.
ing California and Washing- race for governor, a relatively
demarcations of boundaries
small portion of the $18.5
The decisions are neces-
ton.
sometimes a river or moun-
million she raised for the
sary, but the fragmentation
Oregon did not.
race.
tain range, but often just a
of evaluating a comparative
Gov. Kate Brown decided
Some union offi cials said
19th-century surveyor’s line. value of human lives through teachers, school staff and day
The problem is the virus
50 different prisms, was
care workers should be next even with the vaccine, they
doesn’t factor in whether the going to be problematic from in hopes of jump-starting a
might not go back to the
human it is infecting lives on the start.
classroom without wider
return to school this spring
the Idaho or Oregon side of
vaccination of the public. The
Governors and health
by students shuttered at
the Snake River.
offi cials are human beings
home with “virtual learning.” CDC announced last week
The result has been 50
who bring their own beliefs to
Brown argued that 153,000 that schools could safely
states fi ghting COVID-19 in decisions. Any choice will at- educators and school staff
reopen without vaccinating
50 different ways. Masks or
tach a social value to people were a relatively small num- teachers.
no masks. Open for business or groups.
Brown also had Oregon go
ber of people to put ahead of
or shut for safety. Lockdown
The start was the easiest
the 795,000 Oregonians over its own way for age-related
or liberty.
part from an ethical stand-
the age of 65. Oregon Public vaccinations. Eligibility was
The states’ fragmented war point.
Broadcasting estimated that staggered, beginning with
on COVID-19 has resulted
those 80 and older on Feb. 8,
The fi rst shots were sent to about 86 seniors would die
in a resounding defeat. No
two weeks after the educa-
protect doctors, nurses, and
for each week of delay.
corner of the planet has been other health care workers.
tion group. The minimum
It was a price Brown
ravaged like the United
age for eligibility would drop
The pandemic took a toll on
believed was worth it to get
States. The nation makes up hospitals and medical centers the state’s future functioning.
4% of the world population,
who saw severe illness and
The governor and health of-
but has accounted for 20% of sometimes death of the very fi cials portrayed it as a short
the nearly 2.5 million killed
people whose jobs were to
delay.
in the pandemic, according to save lives of others.
“I know there will still
the Johns Hopkins Coronavi-
The long months of the
be some who disagree with
rus Resource Center and the pandemic had also shown so- this choice,” Brown said at
U.S. Census Bureau.
ciety’s weakest points. Nurs- a press conference Jan. 22.
ing homes reported just 5% of “The harsh reality is we are
Vaccine arrival leads to
all COVID-19 infections na- managing a scarce resource
new differences
tionwide. But the often frail
right now.”
The political equivalent of residents and close quarters
The blowback was im-
herding cats has continued
mean these residents account mediate. Senior advocates,
with the arrival of two vac-
for just over one-third of all
medical groups and even her
cines that could snuff out the deaths. Oregon is one of 10
own Governor’s Commission
virus. The Pfi zer and Mod-
states where more than half on Senior Services weighed
erna vaccines require two
of all deaths are from these
in against Brown’s decision.
shots, given about a month
“congregate care” facilities,
“There are 45 other states
apart.
according to the New York
that are listening to the
States have been allocated Times.
science and vaccinating vul-
a portion of the available vac-
Residents and staff of the
nerable seniors,” commission
cine equal to their percentage homes were put next to medi- members said in a Jan. 28
of the national population.
cal workers at the top of the letter to the governor.
For Oregon, that comes out priority list.
to about 1.3%.
At that point, the states’
With the initial shipments, unanimity ends.
state health agencies were
The Centers for Disease
sent a long list of recom-
Control and Prevention
mendations on how to parcel recommended that those over
out the shots. But in the end, age 65 be next in line. About
the fi nal priority list for the
80 percent of deaths from
scarce vaccine was up to each COVID-19 in the United
of the 50 governors.
States are aged 65 and over.
Ethicists call these “life-
Risk rises with age so that
boat” decisions — who, when while someone 85 is only
and why someone could be
twice as likely as a 17-year-
chosen to live or die. An inoc- old to become infected, they
By Gary A. Warner
Oregon Capital Bureau
fi ve years every week until
everyone 65 and older was
eligible March 1.
Vaccine shortages hit every
state. But media reports of
65-year-olds lucky enough
to get an early appointment
at mass inoculation sites
like Disneyland and Dodger
Stadium in California stoked
resentment in Oregon.
“States are amending their
criteria of who is eligible —
sometimes adding millions
of people — but without any
additional supply,” Caplan
said.
The differences between
states were inexplicable to
someone who was eligible
across the country, but not in
their own hometown.
“It erodes public trust,”
Caplan said. “In the end, it
comes down to ‘I’m just going
to do whatever I have to do to
get a shot.’”
Also souring the public
mood were reports of well-
connected people getting
shots through dubious eligi-
bility. In Oregon, Providence
Health included its board of
directors — which includes
large donors — in the medi-
cal group at the top of the list.
“We all hate people who
butt in line,” Brown said
when told of the action.
Brown, 60, said on Feb. 18
that she had not been vac-
cinated. Under her current
plan, there is no timeline
for when she would become
eligible.
Often overlooked was the
sheer size of the national
effort to eventually offer vac-
cination to the estimated 333
million Americans.
President Joe Biden made
headlines with a promise to
put 100 million shots into
Americans’ arms in his fi rst
100 days in offi ce. Since the
current vaccines require two
shots, the promise covers
only 50 million people. At
that pace, vaccination eligibil-
ity for some Americans will
stretch into 2022.
Vaccinating children
Problems ahead include
getting a vaccine that is safe
for children. The current vac-
cines are only recommended
for those 16 and over.
New vaccines could signifi -
cantly shorten the timeline.
The estimates also don’t take
into account Americans who
decline to get vaccinated.
Some estimates put the
refusal rate at 30 percent.
Caplan says that is the
issue that looms large in the
future.
“The focus now is on who is
getting the vaccine,” he said.
“At some point the question
will be who is not getting the
vaccine.”
States will have to navi-
gate legal and ethical ques-
tion on treatment of those
who do not get vaccinated.
Israel has vaccinated al-
most half its population and
is planning laws and rules
for post-pandemic activity. Is-
raelis who are vaccinated re-
ceived a “Green Badge” — a
certifi cate with a unique QR
code, according to the Associ-
ated Press. When museums,
concert halls, theaters and
other public venues reopen,
the “Green Badge” will be
required to get inside.
Caplan said a similar
system could be used in the
United States for everything
from football stadiums to
neighborhood bars.
How far the prohibitions
facing those who go unvac-
cinated will be is an ethical
debate still over the horizon
for now.
“Can you require vaccina-
tion for a job?” Caplan said.
“It’s problematic. But it is a
question that’s coming.”
Winter is here!
Cold weather can
mean icy spots in
shaded areas!
VACCINATIONS
Continued from Page 3A
Critics said even a short delay that led to an avoidable
death was wrong, with unoffi cial estimates putting the pos-
sible deaths from the two-week delay at up to 100.
OHA said it would issue updated guidance on the availabil-
ity of vaccine and the various ways to sign up and receive a
notifi cation when a resident’s eligibility group comes up.
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