Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 25, 2020)
A6 NEWS Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, March 25, 2020 Oregon is running out of masks, gloves and gowns needed to protect health care workers from contracting the coronavirus State officials say that they’ve only gotten a fraction of supplies requested from the federal government By Jake Thomas Oregon Capital Bureau Health care providers in Oregon are running out of protective masks, surgi- cal gowns and other per- sonal protective equip- ment that protects them from contracting the coronavirus. “I am deeply concerned that within the next short weeks we will have pro- viders who need to treat patients without masks, without face shields and those kinds of things,” Oregon Health Author- ity Director Pat Allen told a legislative committee tasked with responding to the coronavirus outbreak on Wednesday. “That’s a critical problem.” Allen said the state will run out of personal pro- tective equipment, often referred to as “PPE,” with- out a significant change at the federal level. Ore- gon officials are expect- ing a surge in Oregonians infected with COVID- 19, estimating there could be 75,000 cases by mid-May. Allen said that the state started out with almost 590,000 respirator masks that protect against airborne hazards and has used a fourth of them. For surgical masks, the state has 18,000 left after start- ing out with 49,000. The state had 23,000 surgical gowns and has burned through 83% of those, he said. The state now is round- ing up donations of sup- plies from medical offices that have them to spare for COVID-19, including dentists and veterinarians. State officials are ask- ing medical and other pri- vate sector companies to donate new masks, gowns and gloves to the state’s supply. Donations will be inspected, inventoried and distributed to medi- cal professionals across the state working with COVID-19 patients. Donations can be mailed or dropped off at: ATTN: PPE Coordinator Dept. of Corrections 3601 State St. Salem, OR 97301 More information can be found online. Preparing for a special legislative session, the committee heard from government, business and labor representatives about the challenges they faced from the pandemic. During the hearing, Melissa Unger, execu- tive director of Service Employees International Union Local 503, said she had received reports of health care workers having to recycle plas- tic face shields and oth- ers wearing garbage bags on their feet. Allen said, in response to the dwindling supply of PPE, Plan A has been for health care provid- ers to restock using their ordinary suppliers. “The challenge, of course, is that those sup- pliers are generally in China, and China has pro- hibited the export of per- sonal protective equip- ment and other medical supplies,” said Allen. Plan B, he said, has been to use the state stockpile to distribute supplies to health care providers. He said that’s what the state has been doing, but there is a finite amount of supplies. Plan C has been to access the national stock- pile, but Oregon so far has only received 10% of what it’s asked for with a promise of another 15% he said. Plan D is to access emergency federal stockpiles held by the military and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Allen said the state is currently on Plan E, which he described as looking “creatively in our own backyard” for PPE that’s available in a non-medical environ- ment. He said the state could look to high-tech manufacturing or begin producing its own supply. “And there’s no Plan F available,” he said. Sen. Denyc Boles, R-Salem, asked about the distribution of supplies. Allen responded that a formula is used. “Nobody is getting everything they’re ask- ing for because we’re trying to get this stuff to last as long as we possi- bly can,” Allen said. Gov. Kate Brown has issued an executive order directing health care pro- viders to preserve sur- gical masks, gowns and gloves for health care workers treating COVID- 19 patients. She banned all elec- tive surgery. Earlier this month, Brown wrote to Vice President Mike Pence, who is overseeing the federal response, to request 400,000 respira- tors, gowns and gloves, Tyvek suits, Biocell Ambulance Protection Systems, in addition to 75 to 100 ventilators. During a press call on Thursday, Brown said the state has received about 25% of the state’s request from the federal government after a shipment came in. O utlook SENI R Well, we did it. Prairie City And it turned out OK. What am I Seniors talking about? The new ‘normal’ that Rose Coombs all food purveyors have to attend with during this corona crisis. We all agreed that we were ‘flying by the seat of our pants’ to comply with all the rules and regulations for this new normal. But when it was all over with, we agreed that it went well. So, all these old dogs learned the new tricks and did good. Congratulations to us! It will be easier next week, right? Pam did her usual job of manning the registration desk. It was just moved into the entryway and the front door. That precluded any ‘congregating’ right off the bat. Then their meal was assembled in the kitchen, bagged, and delivered to the diner and they were on their way. Thus room was made for the next week diner. We had no crowding on the sidewalk. Each diner waited until the one ahead was ready to leave before coming up the ramp to sign in. We thank our cooks Tom and Laura and helper Travis for being up to the task. Angie came to lend a hand with the logistics due to having had to do it previously in John Day. Carol was the runner between the front door and the kitchen. Delores and Ginger were on stand-by in case more help was needed. We served mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed corn, apricot sauce-topped pork chops, garlic bread, and 2 desserts: Vanilla pudding with a cookie and a piece of leftover birthday cake. Mmmm, yummy. I kept wondering what ‘apricot pork chops’ would be like. Well, I am here to tell you that they are Wonderful! Nice and thin so it didn’t break your jaw to chew them. They’re very good, Laura. And that was all that happened because pinochle and Tai Chi was also canceled. So I started on some deep cleaning in the restrooms, now that we have new vent fans with lights in them, I can see better in there. Am just about ready to lay the new floor covering in the utility rom. Since no one will be in the main dining room, I can easily roll the material out in there and cut it to fit. See, everything has a silver lining eventually. Remember the peonies I planted last fall? They are coming up! I didn’t kill them! Hooray!! Hmm. Wonder if deer like them… I have to check the book. You might not think it possible, but Derrol has been putting in time over at the cemetery… picking up limbs, twigs, pinecones, etc. But not mowing lawns… yet. Figured that there probably weren’t any viruses hanging around over there… James 5:13-15 Is anyone of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is anyone of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well… Hope you all are doing well out there. Even though the Monument senior center Soo Yukawa was not open for people to meet up for lunch, it was taking orders for takeout lunches, which was 49 takeout’s. Kristi Guimont was taking down the number of lunches being taken out and counting the money. Bob Cockrell was collecting the money from people driving up to the center for their lunch. Diane Harvey was taking the phone orders. Terry Cade and Carrie Jewell cooked up our meals. Terry and Carrie made some very yummy pork ribs, baked beans, garlic bread, coleslaw, and lemon bars for dessert. I had my hubby pick up some lunch and he brought it home for us to enjoy. Thank you to our cooks for making our lunches. I don’t really have any other news to report since we are all kind of isolated. Good thing we can still call people and chat with them and check in on them. Of course, email works too in the communications department. I’m still not sure as to what to make of this whole situation. I do know one thing that I am not to fear. I can still run to my Heavenly Father and call upon His Name for comfort, peace, and wisdom. I sure am thankful I am not living in some big city. It seems to me that life here is “business as usual” in most of the sense. It is not totally, but mostly. I should call up some of my friends down in L.A. to see how they are faring with this thing going on? The weather has been very glorious this past week and so warm! So, of course I was shocked when I was told that we would get a chance of snow on Monday. I got to trim and prune some trees, and we moved some hay around. I tried something new this week. I made some fruit leather. I used some frozen grapes, frozen strawberries, and extra Kombucha scobies and blended them in my blender before spreading it out on parchment paper and then sticking them into my dehydrator. I got my Kombucha starter from my friend Linda and I had so many. I decided to put them to use. My family refuses to drink it saying they don’t like the taste. The scobies are live probiotics that are good for your gut. Well, the fruit leather came out pretty well! I had my kids try it, but they were very reluctant. They said to give them a very “tiny” piece to try. Well, that “tiny” piece turned out that they ate all eight big round fruit leather in one and half days! Then they asked if I was going to make more. Can you believe it? I was like, really? You want more? My friends Rose and Daryl Howe generously and thoughtfully gave me a huge crate of second hand apples (a ton). I will use a lot of it to make apple leather. I am blessed! Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest. Monument Seniors BIOSMILE Family, Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry 165 NW 1st St., John Day 541-575-0363 Open Monday-Thursday DrJ@BiosmileDental.com We offer a wide range of primary care and medical treatment. Zachary Bailey, MD • David Hall, MD • Raffaella Betza, MD • Janessa Sickler, DO • Emily Lieuallen, DO • Nora Healey, FNP Shawna Clark, DNP Available Monday - Friday 180 Ford Road, John Day • 541-575-0404 Quality Healthcare ...close to home. 170 Ford Road John Day 541-575-1311 112 E. 5th Prairie City 541-820-3341 241 S. Canyon Blvd. John Day • 541-575-0529 T roy Hanson - Funeral Director S180134-1
