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About Baker City herald. (Baker City, Or.) 1990-current | View Entire Issue (July 13, 2021)
LOCAL & STATE THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2021 BAKER CITY HERALD — A5 Delta variant of COVID-19 in Umatilla County By Bryce Dole and Carlos Fuentes EO Media Group UMATILLA COUNTY — The delta variant has arrived in Eastern Oregon. And with vaccination rates across the region lagging behind the state, the question for health experts is not if the latest and most contagious strain of COVID-19 will spread through communities, but how large the outbreak will be. “It’s not a question for unvacci- nated people if they’re going to get the virus,” said Dr. Jon Hitzman, Umatilla County’s public health of- fi cer. “It’s when they’re going to get it and how sick they’re going to get.” The state has reported 14 delta cases so far and three in the Oregon Health Authority’s Region 9, an area that encompasses Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Baker VACCINE and Malheur counties. Each of those cases were reported in Umatilla County, according to Dr. Bill Messer, an associate professor in the department of microbiology and immunology and the division of infectious diseases at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland. But experts say that almost certainly is an undercount, as only a small percentage of cases are sequenced to confi rm if they are delta. In Umatilla County, only 16 of 116 positive cases over a two- week period in early June were sequenced to confi rm if they were delta. “The short answer is that we, collectively the state, we want to se- quence absolutely every specimen we can get our hands on,” Messer said. “But there are logistical prob- lems for that, particularly for the Eastern Oregon counties and rural hospitals.” According to Messer, the state is two weeks behind in its sequencing. That means cases reported since June 15 have not been confi rmed as delta or not. “There is a lag there, and a lot of cases in those lags,” Messer said. Cases have declined across Oregon in recent weeks as the state reached its goal of 70% of residents vaccinated. Umatilla County — where nearly 33% of residents are vaccinated — has reported some of the highest daily case counts statewide in recent weeks. From July 6 to July 9, Umatilla County reported 67 cases. And since mid-June, the county has reported at least 260 cases, accord- ing to county health data. PARADE Continued from Page A1 As of Monday, July 12, there were 26 entries, just four short of the minimum of 30 that Shelly Cutler, executive director of the Baker County Chamber of Commerce, had hoped to have signed up. “It’s a far cry from what we’re used to seeing,” Cutler said. “But it’s enough to make people happy.” Cutler said several community members stepped up to participate in the parade, many of which have never participated before. They wanted the parade to happen, so they took it into their own hands. The parade will start at 11 a.m. at Baker Middle School as usual. Entries will head east on Broad- way to Second, south on Second to Valley, east on Valley to Main, then north on Main to the end at Madi- son. There will not be an announcer, Cutler said. “We’re actually curious to know if this uptick in cases is due to the delta variant,” Messer said. “I would be very surprised if it wasn’t.” About the delta variant The delta variant, fi rst identifi ed in India in December 2020, is the most “fi t” variant of all coronavirus mutations, experts say. All viruses mutate, and as they do, they become better adapted to latch onto a host. But many experts say vaccinated people don’t need to fear the variant. Early research suggests the delta variant is 50% more transmissible than the alpha variant, a strain out of the United Kingdom that is 50% more transmissible than the origi- nal coronavirus strain from Wuhan, China. That means the variant is two to three times as transmissible as the original strain. rate and the statewide rate is smallest. Continued from Page A1 Among people 80 and older, It is the second-highest Baker County’s rate of 67.7% rate, though, among eight is less than 10 percentage AGES 12-15 AGES 50-59 counties in Eastern Oregon points below Oregon’s aver- State: 42.5% State: 67.1% — Baker, Union, Wallowa, age of 77.4% (see chart on this Baker: 13.9%, 101 of 725 Baker: 40.4%, 924 of 2,289 Umatilla, Harney, Malheur, page). residents residents Morrow and Grant. The difference between AGES 16-19 AGES 60-69 In that group, only Wal- Baker County’s and Oregon’s State: 51.3% State: 73.6% lowa County, at 56.6%, has a rates is 18.5 percentage Baker: 23.5%, 151 of 643 Baker: 51.5%, 1,586 of higher vaccination rate than points among people in their residents 3,082 residents Baker County. 70s. AGES 20-29 AGES 70-79 Staten said she worries In all other age groups, the State: 56.4% State: 83.2% that with fewer than half gap between the county and Baker: 28.1%, 365 of 1,301 Baker: 64.7%, 1,419 of 2,192 of Baker County residents statewide rate ranges from residents residents vaccinated, COVID-19 case 22.1% (ages 60-69) to 34.1% AGES 30-39 AGES 80 AND OLDER rates, which have averaged (ages 30-39). State: 62.8% State: 77.4% slightly fewer than two per Staten said she un- Baker: 28.7%, 559 of 1,947 Baker: 67.7%, 749 of 1,106 day since May 1, could rise derstands that younger residents residents again, with more contagious residents are less likely to be AGES 40-49 variants, most notably the vaccinated given that people State: 66.4% Source: Oregon Health delta variant, beginning to 70 and older are at a much Baker: 37.8%, 622 of 1,644 Authority spread. higher risk of dying if they’re residents There have been three infected. cases of the delta variant in In Oregon, 74% of the Umatilla County, but none 2,792 people whose deaths in Baker County (see related ranges from 42.5% for people residents 80 or older. are attributed to COVID-19 story above). age 12 to 15 — who have The county’s highest rates, were 70 or older, according to “We want our community been eligible to be vaccinated in common with statewide the Health Authority. to be healthy,” Staten said. only since May — to 83.2% fi gures, are for people 70 and Of the 15 deaths in Baker Oregon’s statewide vacci- among Oregonians ages 70 older, who were eligible start- County, all but one were nation rate among residents to 79. ing in January or February. older than 70 (the exception 16 and older is 66.8%. Baker County’s vaccina- That’s also the age range was a 59-year-old man). Among age groups, the tion rates range from 13.9% where the gap between Baker County has had statewide vaccination rate for ages 12 to 15, to 67.7% for Baker County’s vaccination three COVID-19 deaths since COVID-19 vaccination rates: Baker County and Oregon March 11, and none since May 15. But Staten also points out that the percentage of cases in the county among people younger than 70 has increased substantially since late March. In some two-week peri- ods since then, the highest percentage of new cases has been among people in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. For the most recent period the Health Department has measured, June 16-30, almost 41% of new cases were among county residents in their 50s. Another 18% were people in their 40s, and almost 14% were in their 60s or in their 20s. The average number of vaccinations given in Baker County has plummeted since a series of clinics at Baker High School in February, March and early April. The county administered 3,034 doses — 26% of its total doses — on just fi ve days dur- ing that period. The county hasn’t given more than 96 doses in any day since June 11. The big- gest daily number since then was 39, on June 17, and the county’s seven-day running average of doses adminis- tered has ranged from 17 to 20 since June 20. Stephanie Johnson, a reg- istered nurse from Richland, said she has declined to be vaccinated in part because she has “essentially no risk of dying.” Johnson, 33, also said she’s leery of taking a vaccine that the federal government has approved only for emergency use, and for which no long- term studies exist about the potential side effects. “I’m not anti-vax at all,” Johnson said. “I personally don’t want to be part of a medical study.” She said the COVID-19 vaccines are a “great option” for people who are at a high- er risk of becoming severely ill if they’re infected. But Johnson said she doesn’t believe government offi cials should try to “coerce” people into being vaccinated. “It’s a choice,” she said. “For me, the risk is higher than the benefi t. Medical deci- sions should be between the patient and provider.” OF BAKER CITY Grand Opening Lunch Hand Tool Sale July 15th from 11AM - 2PM. Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Sides, Sales! 20% off all hand tools July 12th - 16th SPECIALS Chevron DELO $ /gallon 12.99 Filter Sale July 12th - 16th, up to 50% off VHOHFW¿OWHUV Hydraulic Fluid - $ 3,199 Toro 75742, 42” Zero Turn T Stamped Deck - $ 2,899 Toro 75750, 50” Zero Turn Fab Deck - $ 3,399 Toro 75746, 42” Zero T Turn Fab Deck - Hydraulic Fluid - $ 35.99 Fram Conventional Oil - $2.49/qt, when you buy 4 cases Fram Full Synthetic Oil - $2.99/qt, when you buy 4 cases DEF $ 7.99 /gallon $ 26.99
