A4 THE BULLETIN • WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2021
Vaccination
Continued from A1
At the mass vaccination cen-
ter at the Deschutes County
Fair & Expo Center, volunteer
Shannon Bergstedt learned
last week’s walk-in vaccination
clinic was a success with people
lined up around the building.
Bergstedt, a Bend resident
who just started volunteering
three weeks ago, helps give vac-
cines.
“There’s still a lot of people
who are grateful to be vacci-
nated,” Bergstedt said. “Most of
the patients who come in these
days are on the second dose.
They’re glad to have it done.
“I wish we could get more
people vaccinated so we can get
back to normal.”
According to the Oregon
Health Authority data, as of
Tuesday the percentage of peo-
ple vaccinated, those 16 and
older, in Crook County was
39.9%; in Deschutes County
it was 59.9%, and in Jefferson
County it was 44.4%.
Like the rest of the country,
the number of daily vaccines
has declined. Nationwide, it is
about 20% fewer vaccines per
day, according to the New York
Times. The seven-day running
average in Deschutes County,
according to the Oregon
Health Authority, was 1,576
vaccines per day as of Monday.
A month ago, the running av-
erage, according to the website
was 2,738 vaccines a day in De-
schutes County.
Going into the vaccine effort,
counties had few expectations,
said Vicky Ryan, Crook County
public information officer, in
an email.
“We were hopeful that we
could reach a majority of our
county,” Ryan said. “We also
understand that each individ-
ual has a right to choose, and
we respect that choice.”
A higher percentage of the
eligible population needs to get
vaccinated to put the pandemic
behind us, said Dr. Jeff Absa-
lon, St. Charles Health System
chief physician executive.
“The bottom line is not get-
ting vaccinated could set us all
back,” Absalon said in an email.
“The virus is continuing to mu-
tate. The only way to stop the
mutations from circumventing
the vaccinations and natural
immunity is by reaching herd
immunity as quickly as possi-
ble.”
The best way to overcome
the pandemic is to get vacci-
nated, he said.
Professor Chi believes anec-
dotally that Oregon has a high
number of people opposed to
any kind of vaccinations and
pandemic deniers/doubters.
In order to convince them to
become vaccinated, he said the
Risk level
Continued from A1
In early April, when infec-
tions were on the wane, Brown
announced that counties that
would normally be in the ex-
treme risk level could stay at the
high risk level as long as hospi-
talizations statewide didn’t top
300. The policy also required
that hospitalizations rise more
than 15% to keep the severe
limits in place.
The period on which risk
levels will be based beginning
Friday is from April 18 to May
1. Oregon saw a statewide
rise in infections. The state
had 11,266 cases — 265.9 per
100,000. Positive tests made up
6.4% of all results.
But on Tuesday, hospitals
reported 345 COVID-19 pa-
tients, and the percentage
growth of hospitalizations was
pegged at 14.9%.
The 0.1% miss led to a major
policy U-turn.
“Based on today’s numbers, I
am keeping my commitment to
Oregonians,” Brown said.
As of Friday, no counties will
be under extreme risk limits.
The new numbers put 24 coun-
ties at high risk, four at moder-
ate risk, and eight at lower risk.
Under the original criteria,
large counties had to have less
than 200 cases per 100,000 resi-
dents to stay out of the extreme
risk category.
Deschutes County trailed
only Klamath County for most
COVID-19 cases per 100,000
residents among the state’s larg-
est counties.
Deschutes County’s infection
indicators were more than dou-
ble the extreme threshold, with
546.6 cases per 100,000, up
100%
80
60
Percent of population
vaccinated by age group
Crook
Vaccinations, which have been available to anyone 16 and older since April
19, have slowed in Crook, Jefferson and Deschutes counties since peaking
in March and early April. Vaccinations are seen as a way to achieve herd
immunity. Vaccinations are one tool in stopping the spread of the
virus. Scientists have said that the country needs to have an 80%
vaccination rate to protect the community. Currently all three
63.9
counties have less than half the population vaccinated.
57.1
(As of May 3)
52.3
48.7
County COVID-19
risk categories
103.3 *
Jefferson
Deschutes
(Effective May 7 – 13)
94.5
91.3
81.4
40.4
40
33.3%
20
* Percentage is greater than 100 due to calculations based on Oregon ALERT data, which
is provisional and subject to change, and population estimates that may be out of date.
0
16 to 19
20 to 29
30 to 39
40 to 49
50 to 59
60 to 64
65 to 69
70 to 74
75 to 79
80 or older
Age group
Suzanne Roig and Alan Kenaga/For The Bulletin
Source: Oregon Health Authority
Vaccinated population in Crook,
Jefferson and Deschutes counties
The pace of vaccinations, which have been available to anyone 16 and
older since April 19, have slowed in Central Oregon. Vaccinations are
seen as a way to overcome the pandemic. The age group with the
highest percentage of vaccinations among them are those 70 and
older in Crook, Jefferson and Deschutes counties.
Not vaccinated:
130,316 or
54.2%
Vaccinated * :
109,964 or
45.8%
Total population
(Crook, Jefferson and
Deschutes counties):
240,280
(As of May 3)
from 467.4 in the prior report-
ing period.
Klamath County’s 891.7
topped the list.
Deschutes County’s percent-
age of positive tests rose to 8.8%
from 8.1%.
Crook County also remained
well above the extreme risk
threshold.
Crook County has 123 cases
over the period, up from 106 in
the previous period. It’s 524.7
cases per 100,000 rose from
452.2 previously. The positive
test rate of 9.3% was up from
8.3%.
Jefferson County reported
69 COVID-19 cases during the
period, 289.4 per 100,000 res-
idents. It previously recorded
213.9 cases.
But Jefferson County’s test
results fell from 9.2% positive
to 8.9% positive.
Oregon Health Authority
projections show the state can
handle the current rate of de-
mand for hospital beds.
Brown also said she did not
expect the state to move back to
the extreme level again at any
point. The state is expecting a
major increase in vaccine ship-
ments from the federal govern-
ment.
“Vaccinations are still our
best path to protecting our
loved ones, and staying on
track to fully reopen our econ-
omy by the end of June,” Brown
said
Political friction in Oregon
has increased with Brown’s ex-
treme risk decision and again
extending her emergency pow-
ers, first put in place in March
2020, through at least June 28.
In the most concrete bid to
curb Brown’s authority, the
House voted 28-27 Tuesday
For the second time since the
pandemic began, St. Charles
Health System is near capacity
and may have to shuffle patients
to alternate locations.
“We’re not turning patients
away,” said Dr. Jeff Absalon, St.
Charles Health System chief phy-
sician executive. “This is about
physical space.”
The hospital employed its
surge plans once before since
the pandemic began more
than a year ago. On Tuesday, St.
Charles Bend’s 24-bed intensive
care unit had eight COVID-19
patients, seven on a ventilator
and 10 patients for other medi-
cal emergencies. Six beds were
available.
Depending on discharges and
hospital patient counts, patients
could be moved to the hospital’s
medical diagnostic wing or over
to Redmond at the former family
birthing unit, Absalon said.
“We’re poised and ready, but
it all depends on what happens.
Our census is better this week,
but it’s climbing again,” Absalon
said. “It’s a dynamic process.”
The hospital typically runs at
65% to 80% capacity, but since
last week it’s been running at
86% to 94%, he said.
To make room for more pa-
tients, the hospital canceled 18
surgeries for patients that re-
quired an overnight stay.
“We absolutely acknowledge
the impact this has on patients
that have to have necessary sur-
geries to promote and maintain
their health,” Absalon said.
Vaccines available in Central Oregon
* The number of
people that have
received at least one
dose of the COVID-19
vaccine, according to
Oregon ALERT reporting data.
messaging needs to come from
friends, family and church
leaders, not from the govern-
ment. He also said that now is
the time for health officials to
reach out to the migrant com-
munities, people who often
work hourly and don’t have
time to get vaccinated and
bring the vaccines to where
they work.
“Migrants have less time
available, and there sometimes
are language barriers to getting
to vaccine centers. So we need to
reach out rather than waiting for
them to come in,” Chi said. “For
the vaccine deniers and anti-
St. Charles Bend pushes patient capacity
Source: Oregon
Health Authority
Suzanne Roig and
Alan Kenaga/For The Bulletin
vaxxers, the best message is if
we want to save our community
and our economy, vaccination is
the path to that goal.”
The only way to return to
regular activities safely is to
have more people vaccinated
and to wear masks and main-
tain physical distances indoors.
“We need to do more to get
them vaccinated. Bring the vac-
cine to the church. Convince
church leaders. These barriers
are occurring throughout Or-
egon. We have to outrun the
speed of the variants.”
Reporter: 541-633-2117,
sroig@bendbulletin.com
against a motion to consider a
bill that would give the Legis-
lature a larger say in governors’
declarations of emergency.
“Oregonians deserve a bal-
ance of power between their
separate branches of govern-
ment again,” said House Mi-
nority Leader Christine Dra-
zan, R-Canby.
Brown and the Oregon
Health Authority Director Pat
Allen have pointed to Oregon’s
safety during the pandemic that
has killed over 575,000 Ameri-
cans. Oregon has had the third
lowest per-capita number of
cases in the nation, at 4,432 per
100,000 during the entire pan-
demic.
Brown will next announce
any revisions in risk levels on
May 11.
gwarner@eomediagroup.com
Mary Kay “Micki” Turn-
er of Bend, OR
July 8, 1941 - April 25,
2021
Arrangements:
Autumn Funerals, Bend
541-318-0842 www.au-
tumnfunerals.net
Services:
At her request, there will
be no services
OBITUARY DEADLINE
Call to ask about our deadlines
541-385-5809
Monday - Friday, 10am - 3pm
No death notices or obituaries
are published Mondays.
Email:
obits@bendbulletin.com
Deschutes County is working
to make it as easy as possible to
get vaccinated with walk-up ap-
pointments. First-dose walk-up
appointments are available from
9 a.m. to noon Wednesday and
Thursday. On Friday walk-up ap-
pointments will be available be-
tween 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Residents are also still able to
schedule first-dose appointments
through Friday at centralore-
goncovidvaccine.com. In Crook
County residents can get a vac-
cine from the county health de-
partment, Bi-Mart, Rite Aid, Clinic
Pharmacy and Mosaic Medical.
— Bulletin staff reports
Lower Risk (8)
• Gilliam
• Harney
• Lake
• Morrow
• Sherman
• Union
• Wallowa
• Wheeler
Moderate Risk (4)
• Coos (Moved from High)
• Curry
• Hood River (Moved from
High)
• Tillamook
High Risk (24)
• Baker (Moved from
Extreme)
• Benton
• Clackamas (Moved from
Extreme)
• Clatsop
• Columbia (Moved from
Extreme)
• Crook (Moved from
Extreme)
• Deschutes (Moved from
Extreme)
• Douglas (Moved from
Moderate)
• Grant (Moved from
Extreme)
• Jackson (Moved from
Extreme)
• Jefferson
• Josephine (Moved from
Extreme)
• Klamath (Moved from
Extreme)
• Lane (Moved from
Extreme)
• Lincoln
• Linn (Moved from Extreme)
• Malheur (Moved from
Moderate)
• Marion (Moved from
Extreme)
• Multnomah (Moved from
Extreme)
• Polk (Moved from Extreme)
• Umatilla
• Wasco (Moved from
Extreme)
• Washington
• Yamhill
Extreme Risk (0)