THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021
Baker City, Oregon
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EDITORIAL
State’s
data gap
on COVID
The Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 website is
a cornucopia of data, a wealth of graphs, charts and other
information.
But the OHA site, informative though it is, also has a
glaring statistical gap.
And it’s a gap that, unfortunately, contributes to
misguided beliefs about the effi cacy of the vaccines which
are the most potent weapon in our pandemic arsenal. Vac-
cines drove infection rates down to levels that made the
fi rst part of this summer seem reasonably normal. And
despite the recent surge driven by the much more conta-
gious delta variant, vaccines remain the key to returning
to a society that is not dominated by this microscopic
invader.
The information gap involves “breakthrough” cases —
people who are infected despite being fully vaccinated.
The OHA is defi cient in its public reporting of break-
through cases in the state. As of Wednesday, Aug. 4, the
most recent data on breakthrough cases was a report
dated July 1. That’s grossly outdated, predating the delta-
driven surge — only one of the 1,790 breakthrough cases
in the report was confi rmed to involve the delta variant.
Moreover, the breakthrough case report lacks geographic
specifi city, with cases shown for just nine regions rather
than for each of Oregon’s 36 counties. Baker County is
part of Region 9, which includes six counties, three of
which — Union, Malheur and Umatilla — have larger
populations than Baker.
Fortunately, OHA plans to partially rectify this situa-
tion. Jonathan Modie, a spokesman for the agency, said
breakthrough cases will be reported every other week
rather than monthly.
Better still if OHA reports breakthrough cases every
week, and by individual county.
The more detailed the reporting, the easier it is for
public health offi cials and others to counter erroneous as-
sertions about COVID-19, and vaccines, that sadly spread
much more readily than even the delta variant.
The reality is that although the delta variant is a
signifi cant problem, its prevalence is due largely to paltry
vaccination rates.
The available vaccines are very effective at protecting
people from becoming ill due to infection by the delta vari-
ant, according to the Johns Hopkins University’s Corona-
virus Resource Center. The Pfi zer vaccine, for instance,
is 88% effective against the delta variant in preventing
symptomatic disease, according to Johns Hopkins, as
compared with a 94% effectiveness against the previously
dominant alpha variant.
“The current vaccines provide very high protection
against the delta variant,” according to Johns Hopkins.
And that’s vital, because the delta variant, when it does
cause breakthrough cases, poses a much greater threat
than previous variants. The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention announced recently that research showed
fully vaccinated people who are infected with the delta
variant have a similar “viral load” as unvaccinated people,
meaning vaccinated people are about as likely to pass the
virus to others. That research prompted the CDC to rec-
ommend everyone, including fully vaccinated people, wear
face masks in indoor public settings, a recommendation
followed soon by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s announce-
ment that masks will be required in schools when classes
start this fall.
But to reiterate — the risk for breakthrough cases re-
mains quite low because the vaccines are effective against
all known variants, including delta. The OHA needs to
make that information available to Oregonians on a much
more timely basis, and with geographic detail, than it has
so far. Without the data, the agency’s campaign to encour-
age people to be vaccinated — as everyone who’s eligible
should be — isn’t as persuasive as it could be.
— Jayson Jacoby, Baker City Herald editor
Your views
Baker City farmers market has a lot of potential
Maybe it’s time to talk about the
Baker City Farmers Market. Some-
one suggested on Facebook the other
day I should offer some input on this
subject. So here goes.
I returned to Baker City after a
22-year absence. Was pleased to see
a farmer’s market. Then I saw the
response it was getting. Pretty dismal
compared to the one in Coos Bay that
I was used to. Over there, it’s an all-
day affair with a festival atmosphere.
Vendors, food cooking everywhere.
Kids playing. Music playing. It’s a big
deal and it draws lots of people.
The farmer’s market here has sev-
eral things working against it.
The fi rst is the tiny location. No
room for expansion or parking. Sec-
ond, there isn’t that much advertising.
People still ask “where is it?” That is
an advertising issue. Another problem
is the day of the week. People work
mid-week. That puts a big limitation
on who can go.
My idea is to turn the entire
downtown area into a giant Saturday
Market. Traffi c blocked off except for
an emergency lane. All the downtown
merchants can have sidewalk sales.
Put up an open stage and invite
people to play. You can have food. You
can have music. And you can give a
defi nitive boost to the local economy.
Every week.
I was told the city council frowns on
closing off downtown. That said, these
people work for you. You need to tell
them this is a good thing for the town
and it’s what you’d like to see maybe
by next year?
Lots of potential here. You’d be darn
fools not to use it.
Dan Collins
Baker City
Reversal on masks undermines
confidence in COVID vaccines
By Cynthia M. Allen
FORT WORTH, Texas — On
Thursday, July 29, Texas Gov. Greg Ab-
bott issued a new executive order that
will make it harder for local offi cials
to require face coverings, including
in schools, and forbids the state from
mandating vaccines.
“Today’s executive order will pro-
vide clarity and uniformity in the Lone
Star State’s continued fi ght against
COVID-19,” said Abbott in an accom-
panying statement. “The new Execu-
tive Order emphasizes that the path
forward relies on personal responsibil-
ity rather than government mandates.”
Whether you agree with the direc-
tive or believe, in light of new masking
guidance from the CDC and vaccine
mandates for federal employees, that
to limit government authority during
a pandemic is a fool’s errand, you have
to give Abbott credit for his consistency
and simplicity in messaging: Personal
responsibility supersedes government
mandates.
That’s certainly more than can be
said for many public health authori-
ties, who have muddled and under-
mined their own recommendations
with remarkable frequency throughout
the pandemic.
The about-face on masks is yet
another example.
After months of reassuring
Americans that being fully vaccinated
neutralized their ability to spread
COVID-19, and weeks after issuing
guidance that vaccinated individuals
no longer needed to wear masks, the
CDC is now recommending that even
vaccinated people should again be
masking indoors.
The reason, according to CDC
Director Rochelle Walensky, is that
“in rare occasions, some vaccinated
people infected with the delta variant
after vaccination may be contagious
and pass the virus to others.”
It’s understandable that public
health guidance is subject to change
as new research emerges; that’s a
given.
But the explanation was initially
offered without supporting data. An
internal CDC document upon which
the recommendation was apparently
made has since shed some light on
the decision, but the data contained
therein has drawn criticism for its
accuracy.
Of course, we know from experi-
ence that data (let alone good data)
isn’t always the driving force behind
public health recommendations.
That certainly appears to be the
case when it comes to the CDC’s
other recent recommendation that
students as well as all teachers and
staff mask during the school year,
regardless of vaccination status.
This recommendation comes even
though we know from experience
(and voluminous research) that CO-
VID-19 is less deadly to children than
other common illnesses like the fl u.
This is true even for the delta
variant.
It is harder for children to get
COVID-19 and harder for them to
spread it.
And there are legitimate reasons
to worry that the masks we make
children wear have potentially
serious negative consequences, both
physical and developmental.
What’s more is that it is becom-
ing increasingly clear that the virus
surges and declines in ways that hu-
man behavior cannot seem to control
or explain.
The uptick in cases, courtesy of the
delta variant, is real and concerning.
But even The New York Times,
which has not always regarded public
health recommendations uncritically,
acknowledges that the delta out-
breaks in both India and the U.K. rose
and then plunged without any clear
behavioral explanation.
Much to our collective chagrin,
human efforts to contain the virus —
masking, distancing, shutdowns and
even vaccines (if Walensky is correct)
— appear to have some control over
viral spread, but to a far more limited
effect than we like to admit.
That takes us back to Gov. Abbott
and his message of personal respon-
sibility.
While that message doesn’t reso-
nate with everyone — particularly
when it’s easier to blame unfortunate
circumstances on the behaviors of
everyone else — it’s starting to have
the ring of truth.
But to behave responsibly, people
need to have good information from
sources they can trust, who acknowl-
edge both what they know and what
they don’t.
I certainly hope Texans will behave
responsibly. When are they going to
have the information necessary to
do so?
Cynthia M. Allen is a columnist
for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Readers may send her email at
cmallen@star-telegram.com.
CONTACT YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS
President Joe Biden: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.,
Washington, D.C. 20500; 202-456-1111; to send comments, go to
www.whitehouse.gov.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley: D.C. offi ce: 313 Hart Senate Offi ce
Building, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-3753;
fax 202-228-3997. Portland offi ce: One World Trade Center, 121
S.W. Salmon St. Suite 1250, Portland, OR 97204; 503-326-3386;
fax 503-326-2900. Baker City offi ce, 1705 Main St., Suite 504, 541-
278-1129; merkley.senate.gov.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: D.C. offi ce: 221 Dirksen Senate Offi ce
Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-5244; fax 202-228-2717.
La Grande offi ce: 105 Fir St., No. 210, La Grande, OR 97850; 541-
962-7691; fax, 541-963-0885; wyden.senate.gov.
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (2nd District): D.C. offi ce: 2182 Rayburn
Offi ce Building, Washington, D.C., 20515, 202-225-6730; fax 202-
225-5774. La Grande offi ce: 1211 Washington Ave., La Grande, OR
97850; 541-624-2400, fax, 541-624-2402; walden.house.gov.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: 254 State Capitol, Salem, OR
97310; 503-378-3111; www.governor.oregon.gov.
Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read: oregon.treasurer@
ost.state.or.us; 350 Winter St. NE, Suite 100, Salem OR 97301-
3896; 503-378-4000.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum: Justice
Building, Salem, OR 97301-4096; 503-378-4400.
Oregon Legislature: Legislative documents and information
are available online at www.leg.state.or.us.
State Sen. Lynn Findley (R-Ontario): Salem offi ce: 900
Court St. N.E., S-403, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1730. Email: Sen.
LynnFindley@oregonlegislature.gov
State Rep. Mark Owens (R-Crane): Salem offi ce: 900 Court
St. N.E., H-475, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1460. Email: Rep.
MarkOwens@oregonlegislature.gov
Baker City Hall: 1655 First Street, P.O. Box 650, Baker City,
OR 97814; 541-523-6541; fax 541-524-2049. City Council meets
the second and fourth Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers.
Councilors Lynette Perry, Jason Spriet, Kerry McQuisten, Shane
Alderson, Joanna Dixon, Heather Sells and Johnny Waggoner Sr.
Baker City administration: 541-523-6541. Jonathan Cannon,
city manager; Ty Duby, police chief; Sean Lee, fi re chief; Michelle
Owen, public works director.
Baker County Commission: Baker County Courthouse 1995
3rd St., Baker City, OR 97814; 541-523-8200. Meets the fi rst and
third Wednesdays at 9 a.m.; Bill Harvey (chair), Mark Bennett,
Bruce Nichols.
Baker County departments: 541-523-8200. Travis Ash,
sheriff; Noodle Perkins, roadmaster; Greg Baxter, district attorney;
Alice Durfl inger, county treasurer; Stefanie Kirby, county clerk; Kerry
Savage, county assessor.
Baker School District: 2090 4th Street, Baker City, OR 97814;
541-524-2260; fax 541-524-2564. Superintendent: Mark Witty.
Board meets the third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Council
Chambers, Baker City Hall,1655 First St.; Andrew Bryan, Jessica
Dougherty, Chris Hawkins, Travis Cook and Julie Huntington.