A4
OPINION
Blue Mountain Eagle
The danger of
measles is too
easy to forget
A
s a society, we
have made such
progress against
once-common illnesses
that we forget they are still
around and still potentially
life-threatening. The mea-
sles outbreak in Southeast
Washington exemplifi es
what can happen if we low-
er our vigilance — and our
vaccinations.
High rates of vaccination
kept measles under control
in the U.S., with about 60
cases annually during 2000
to 2010, according to the
Mayo Clinic. In recent years,
that average has climbed
to 205 cases, most often
among people who either
were unvaccinated or did not
know whether they were.
There were 350 cases in the
U.S. last year.
As of this writing, 35 con-
fi rmed cases and 11 sus-
pected cases have occurred
this month in Clark County,
Washington, and one in Ore-
gon’s Multnomah County. At
least 30 of the patients had
not been immunized — even
though getting the combined
measles-mumps-rubella vac-
cine is safer than contracting
measles.
Measles is so contagious,
and potentially fatal in
young children, that Wash-
ington Gov. Jay Inslee has
declared a state of emer-
gency. People who visited
more than 40 locations in
the Vancouver-Portland area
might have been exposed.
“It’s one of the most con-
tagious viruses we have. It
can have really serious com-
plications,” said Dr. Alan
Melnick, the Clark County
health offi cer. “And it’s
entirely preventable with an
incredibly cheap and safe
vaccine.”
But the measles vacci-
nation rate in Clark County
was only 78 percent.
People forget that measles
killed hundreds of people
each year, and caused seri-
ous health complications for
thousands more, before the
disease was declared eradi-
cated in the U.S. at the start
of the 21st century.
But measles persisted
elsewhere. Around the
world, more than 100,000
people die from measles
each year, most of them chil-
dren under age 5.
The measles outbreak in
the Vancouver-Portland area,
combined with an increase
in fl u cases, has caused some
Oregon hospitals to restrict
visitors.
Flu is so common that
people often forget about
its potential consequences
as well. Yet infl uenza and
related complications killed
an estimated 80,000 Amer-
icans last winter, far above
a typical year because last
year’s vaccine was not as
effective.
The infl uenza virus
mutates, so each year’s vac-
cine is formulated to provide
immunity against the strains
considered most probable
to cause an outbreak. That
is why getting a fl u vaccine
each year matters. Many
Americans don’t do so.
Infl uenza and related con-
ditions hospitalized 1,562
people in Oregon last year
and led to the deaths of
three children. Although
last year’s vaccine was less
effective, an Oregon Health
Authority study found that
seniors who got high-dose
fl u shots were less likely to
be hospitalized.
“Pandemic,” a popular
board game, shows how eas-
ily diseases can spread. The
Vancouver-Portland mea-
sles outbreak is not nearly
an epidemic, let alone a pan-
demic. Neither is this year’s
fl u season in Oregon.
But it is worth noting that
this winter is the 100th anni-
versary of the worst pan-
demic in recorded history.
As the fl u mutated into a
global killer, it took the lives
of 50 million to 100 mil-
lion people, including about
675,000 in the U.S. during
the course of one year.
This grim anniversary
is a reminder that we dare
not forget the past, ignore
what could happen in the
future — or fail to get our
vaccinations.
To quote a Washing-
ton Post story from last
year about the pandemic,
“the 1918 nightmare serves
a reminder. If a viru-
lent enough strain were to
emerge again, a century of
modern medicine might not
save millions from dying.”
There were no worthwhile
fl u vaccines in 1917-18.
There are today, just as there
is a measles vaccine.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
GUEST COMMENT
Mom and Dad, cool it
I
f you are the mother or
father of a high school
athlete here in Oregon,
this message is primarily for
you.
When you attend an athletic
event that involves your son or
daughter, cheer to your heart’s
content, enjoy the camaraderie
that high school sports offer and
have fun. But when it comes to
verbally criticizing game offi -
cials or coaches, cool it.
Make no mistake about it.
Your passion is admired, and
your support of the hometown
team is needed. But so is your
self-control. Yelling, screaming
and berating the offi cials humili-
ates your child, annoys those sit-
ting around you, embarrasses
your child’s school and is the
primary reason Oregon has an
alarming shortage of high school
offi cials.
It’s true. According to a recent
survey by the National Associ-
ation of Sports Offi cials, more
than 75 percent of all high
school offi cials say “adult behav-
ior” is the pri-
mary reason they
quit. And 80 per-
cent of all young
offi cials hang up
their stripes after
just two years of
Karissa
whistle blowing.
Niehoff
Why? They don’t
need your abuse.
Plus, there’s
a ripple effect.
There are more
offi cials over 60
than under 30 in
many areas. And
as older, expe-
Peter
rienced offi cials
Weber
retire, there aren’t
enough younger
ones to replace them. If there are
no offi cials, there are no games.
The shortage of licensed high
school offi cials is severe enough
in some areas that athletic events
are being postponed or cancelled
— especially at the freshman and
junior varsity levels.
Research confi rms that par-
ticipation in high school sports
and activities instills a sense of
pride in school and community,
teaches lifelong lessons like the
value of teamwork and self-dis-
cipline and facilitates the phys-
ical and emotional development
of those who participate. So, if
the games go away because there
aren’t enough men and women
to offi ciate them, the loss will be
infi nitely greater than just an “L”
on the scoreboard. It will be put-
ting a dent in your community’s
future.
If you would like to be a part
of the solution to the shortage
of high school offi cials, you can
sign up to become a licensed
offi cial at highschooloffi cials.
com. Otherwise, adult role mod-
els at high school athletic events
here in Oregon are always
welcome.
Karissa Niehoff is the exec-
utive director of the National
Federation of State High
School Associations. Peter
Weber is the executive director
of the Oregon School Activities
Association.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Fortunate for
terrifi c neighbors
To the Editor:
I attended the Grant County
Planning Commission informa-
tional meeting the evening of Jan.
24 at the John Day fi re station.
A question regarding the
establishment of a bed and break-
fast came up. Because my new
neighbors had applied for a per-
mit to do just that, I shared my
experience with the process.
It is procedural for the plan-
ning department to send notices
to the adjacent landowners
regarding this permit request. If
there are any concerns or objec-
tions, they are invited to a joint
session with all parties to voice
these. I and three others received
notices.
We collectively had con-
cerns with this enterprise in our
residential neighborhood. We
drafted a list of several concerns
in the form of objections.
We had a hearing with the
planning commission and the
new neighbors. Most important
to us was the expected impact
on water and the private road.
The planning commission heard
all sides, and the permit was
granted.
I’m not sure my response to
a question regarding the impact
to the water issue was clearly
articulated. This is the main rea-
son I wrote this letter. I want
those who were present to know
any issue I have had with water
is not as a result of the bed and
breakfast operation. In fact, none
of the concerns I had have mate-
rialized to date.
Pete and Andrea Martinez,
who own the Victorian Lane
B&B, are gracious and congenial
people. Also, their son Branden
Schlarbaum and his three daugh-
ters are a delight. Branden and I
have shared in many things since
they arrived. I am blessed to
have these folks for neighbors.
As I consider the neighborhood,
I have to say I am fortunate to be
surrounded by terrifi c neighbors.
Bill Wilcox
John Day
Cleaning up the
PERS defi cit
To the Editor:
I read that our governor’s hus-
band cleaned a federal toilet
during the government shutdown.
Then he sent President Trump a
bill for $27 for his labors. Well
isn’t that just peachy, Mr. First
Husband; my, how civic minded
you are! If you get a check from
the president, could you give it
to your wife so she can help pay
down the PERS defi cit that she
has ignored for so many years.
Thanks in advance for your
generosity.
Bob Phillips
John Day
Feeling betrayed
about fi re station
To the Editor:
I voted for a new fi re station.
The area needed a new fi re station.
Now they have changed the use of
the new fi re station almost before
the fi re department got moved in.
I did not vote for the fi re sta-
tion to house a dispatch center. If
the area being used for a dispatch
center was not needed by the fi re
department then we should have
built a smaller fi re station.
Do you feel a little bit
betrayed? I do.
Tom Sutton
John Day
L
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