THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2021
Baker City, Oregon
4A
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news@bakercityherald.com
EDITORIAL
Vaccine
paradox
Baker County can’t fairly be branded as an anti-
vaccine place, in the broadest sense.
Statistics betray that claim.
The vast majority of children in the county are
vaccinated against diseases such as measles, mumps,
whooping cough, tetanus, polio, and hepatitis A and
B. Overall, Baker County’s vaccination rate for those
and a few other infections is 91%, according to the
Oregon Health Authority. Rates for specifi c diseases
are as high as 97% (for chicken pox).
Given this nearly universal acceptance of vaccines
as both safe and exceptionally effective, county resi-
dents’ reluctance to be vaccinated against COVID-19
is perplexing.
As of Wednesday, Aug. 18, just 47.9% of county resi-
dents 18 and older were at least partially vaccinated
(most, 44.7% of that age group, are fully vaccinated).
Just seven of Oregon’s 35 other counties have a
lower vaccination rate.
The comparison between vaccination rates for
other diseases, and for COVID-19, is not a perfect
one, of course.
Most of the inoculations we receive are for so-called
“childhood diseases,” and are administered, appropri-
ately enough, during childhood.
COVID-19 vaccines, by contrast, were made
available initially mostly to older people, and for an
obvious reason — they are much more likely to die if
they’re infected. Of the 2,964 Oregonians who have
died, 73.2% were 70 or older; 49% were 80 or older.
But here’s the thing: We’re vaccinating almost all
of our children against diseases that they almost
certainly will never be exposed to. Vaccines are so
effective — so long as vaccination rates are very high
— that affl ictions such as measles have been all but
eradicated in the United States. Indeed, epidemiolo-
gists have concluded that one reason vaccination
rates for such diseases have dipped in some places
(although in most areas, including Baker County,
they remain quite high) is that few parents today
have any personal experience with the infections and
thus are more likely to downplay the threat.
COVID-19, of course, is quite the opposite.
The disease has affected almost all of us, if not
physically then emotionally or fi nancially (or, sadly,
both). This pandemic’s effects are more widespread
than any since the fl u pandemic of 1918-19.
Moreover, we are vastly more likely to be exposed
to COVID-19 than to any of the diseases for which
almost all of us have been vaccinated. We need
only look at the statistics to recognize this — Baker
County had more new infections the week of Aug.
8-14 than any previous week.
It’s hardly surprising that there was initial trepi-
dation about COVID-19 vaccines. They are, after all,
new. And they were developed much more rapidly
than other widely distributed vaccines.
But speed in this case refl ects the immense capa-
bilities of America’s scientists, not a suspension of
safety protocols. More than 165 million Americans
have been vaccinated. And although COVID-19 vac-
cines — like all vaccines — cause side effects, some of
them potentially fatal, these are extremely rare.
Also like all vaccines, COVID-19 inoculations
aren’t 100% effective. Variants, most notably the
delta variant, are more contagious and contribute to
the incidence of “breakthrough” cases — infections
in fully vaccinated people. But relatively low vac-
cination rates also fuel the spread, giving the delta
variant a larger pool of vulnerable hosts. This, too, is
a reality that can’t be refuted — a large majority of
cases during the past month, both locally and nation-
ally, are in people who aren’t vaccinated. Most CO-
VID-19 patients who are taxing the capacity of many
hospitals, and most people who have died recently,
also were not vaccinated.
Baker County residents have helped to keep many
diseases, such as measles and polio, as historical
artifacts rather than proximate threats, by vaccinat-
ing their children.
We have the chance to do the same with COV-
ID-19, which has caused far more harm, and societal
upheaval, than any of the diseases against which we
almost universally vaccinate.
We ought to be grateful for this opportunity. Far
more grateful than we’ve so far been in Baker
County.
— Jayson Jacoby, Baker City Herald editor
Respecting health care workers
Dr. Eric Lamb and the team at the
Baker County Health Department as
well as a lot of people at clinics and
hospitals here and throughout our
area are doing everything they can
to care for our friends, families and
neighbors. With the recent surge in
COVID cases, that work is as impor-
tant as ever. Despite that, there have
been negative comments directed at
Dr. Lamb and other health care profes-
sionals.
Physicians like Dr. Lamb and myself
graduate from high school and college,
go to four years of medical school, and
then complete a three-year residency
program. Both of us have practiced
for more than 20 years. Dr. Lamb also
happened to go to pharmacy school
and practiced as a pharmacist prior to
going to medical school. The health de-
partment has followed evidence-based
guidelines in recommendations guid-
ing attempts to minimize the spread
of COVID as well as vaccine admin-
istration. There are many reasons for
people to have differing opinions and
we should respect those opinions. But
that doesn’t change the science behind
the recommendations.
As of Aug. 9, over 166 million people
in the US have received a vaccination
and just over 8,000 people have had
breakthrough infections reported to
the CDC. That means that less than
0.005% of vaccinated people have had
breakthrough cases. The hospital in
Baker has been sending patients who
are seriously ill with COVID to hospi-
tals in Boise throughout the pandemic
JON SCHOTT
as have most rural hospitals in our
area. Governor Brad Little in Idaho
recently shared that:
• 98.9% of new COVID-19 cas-
es since Jan. 1, 2021, were people not
vaccinated.
• 98.6% of COVID-19 hospitaliza-
tions since Jan. 1, 2021, were people
not vaccinated.
• 98.7% of COVID-19 deaths since
Jan. 1, 2021, were people not vacci-
nated.
• Since May 15, there have been 10
times as many COVID-19 cases among
unvaccinated people compared with
vaccinated people.
• Since May 15, there have been 13
times as many COVID-19 hospitaliza-
tions among unvaccinated people com-
pared with vaccinated people.
• Since May 15, there have been
eight times as many COVID-19 deaths
among unvaccinated people com-
pared with vaccinated people.
The vaccines, developed during “Op-
eration Warp Speed,” are not perfect,
but no vaccine is. They continue to be
our most effective tool at battling the
pandemic helping our economy rebuild
and allowing us to return to some
degree of normalcy. We all have politi-
cal and personal views that impact our
decisions and that is good. We also can
make informed decisions about our
health care. If anyone needs additional
information, talk with your primary
care provider or call the health depart-
ment.
Hospitals throughout our region are
being stretched to capacity. Staff are
working extra shifts and dealing with
sick, frustrated and sometimes angry
patients. Elective procedures are being
delayed in many facilities because of
resource limitations resulting from the
surge. None of us want to see what’s
occurring in other areas in the nation
where acute medical conditions may
not be cared for optimally as a result
of this. Health care professionals are
putting their own health at risk as a
result.
The intent here is not necessarily
to change minds. Having said that,
our health care professionals deserve
our respect and gratitude regardless
of one’s decision as to what’s best for
them individually. Don’t confuse politi-
cal or personal convictions with what
science and the outcomes to date show.
Over 620,000 Americans have died
as a result of the infection since the
pandemic began. Many of them would
have been prevented by vaccination.
Please strongly consider getting
vaccinated if you haven’t already
and regardless of that decision or the
reasons behind it, please respect those
trying to care for us all.
Dr. Jon Schott is the medical director for
St. Luke’s Health Partners in Boise. He
was the medical director at the Baker
County Health Department prior to
Dr. Eric Lamb.
Your views
Baker City fi lm festival
deserves more attention
Once again I am dumbfounded! The
disturbing lack of local interest and
support for one of the most unique
and entertaining fi lm festivals on the
planet is confusing, to say the least. In
case you haven’t heard, “your” Baker
City is home to the world class “We
like ’Em Short” Film Festival.” I fi nd it
strange that so few have come to see it;
it has been part of your community for
12 years. In 2014 it received the “Ova-
tion Award” from the Oregon Festival
and Events Association, deeming it
the “Best Fine Art/Performing Arts
Festival” in the state of Oregon! This
year the WLES had 171 fi lms submit-
ted from 29 different countries, sort of a
big deal for our small town.
For 10 years, with their generosity
and support of the arts, Teresa and
Dan McQuisten offered the historic
Eltrym Theater (another local gold
nugget) as the venue for WLES —
thank you! When COVID decided to
change our world it was moved to the
historic Churchill School where it was
shown outside. Oh yes! There is a drive-
in theater in our little city! This year
Thursday’s “family friendly” show was
on the drive-in screen and, with the
addition of comfortable seating and an
indoor screen, the other three days/four
screenings was again at Churchill. This
is where, I am guessing, it will remain
for the future (provided it doesn’t fall to
the wayside through lack of support?).
I was able to view the whole four-
day event this year, and there is not
enough words to describe my delight.
The evening screenings offered some
of our best local Mexican food and a
full bar! The only thing missing were
the people, no reason it shouldn’t be
packed? Please mark your calendars
for next year, you will be rewarded
with some of the best short fi lms in
the world! Thank you, Brian Vegter, for
your vision of bringing incredible fi ne
art to our community and your deter-
mination to have it continue. Thanks to
all the fi lmmakers that made me think,
laugh and cry. Please support anything
local.
Mike Meyer
Baker City
Railroad quiet zone has been
a boon for La Grande
A quiet zone (QZ) is an investment
in Baker City’s health that will pay
dividends indefi nitely. La Grande initi-
ated their QZ almost two years ago and
much has improved since. I wish the
same for Baker City residents. A QZ
will limit intrusive train horn blast-
ing which will increase your quality of
life. Businesses will do better, property
values will increase, which in turn is
good for the city. QZs offer all these
benefi ts, but most importantly, Quiet
Zones are safer. Noise is a well-estab-
lished risk factor for poor sleep (duh!),
stress, anxiety, hypertension, and poor
learning. La Grande motel owners lost
business due to this noise. One owner
kept track and found he’d lost $9,000
in 2016 alone, counting only obvious
cases. Many customers say nothing and
never return. Countless others read
scathing reviews on Yelp or TripAdvi-
sor and kept driving. The motel owner’s
stories are chilling: “If horns blast while
they are checking in — they leave. If
the horns blast after they’ve settled in
they will return to the offi ce, request a
refund and leave. I will never see these
people again!”
Train horns discourage people from
relaxing and enjoying your shops,
restaurants and lodging.
QZs are safer by requirement. The
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
has detailed guidelines to ensure your
QZ is safer than before. The FRA has
exhaustive information on the accident
history of every crossing in the United
States. Experience shows that certain
physical barriers are more effective
than horns at preventing mishaps. Bar-
riers are better than horns at prevent-
ing accidents. Like Baker City, we in
La Grande were misled to believe these
improvements would cost millions. We
ended up spending about $200,000
— including some extra, unrequired
improvements to an intersection. Engi-
neers are still allowed to sound horns
in emergencies at their discretion but
are no longer required to routinely use
four blasts at every crossing. If you love
train horns take heart, you’ll still hear
them from crossings outside the QZ,
just not so loudly!
John Winters
La Grande