NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
A5
Grant County has 50 coronavirus antibody tests
Health administrator:
‘More questions than
there are answers’
about test
By Steven Mitchell
Blue Mountain Eagle
Grant County Court Com-
missioner Sam Palmer said
the county has the capacity
for 50 coronavirus antibody
tests Thursday at the court’s
closed meeting that was live-
streamed on the Eagle’s Face-
book page.
County Health Administra-
tor Kimberly Lindsay said the
county’s medical group met
Monday to discuss the poten-
tial of administering the anti-
body tests.
“There are more questions
than there are answers,” Lind-
say said.
Lindsay said scientists still
don’t know whether corona-
virus antibodies give a person
immunity or reduce the risk of
reinfection.
She said the test, which
is not FDA approved, has an
85% accuracy rate.
“You want a higher effi-
cacy rate in the medical pro-
fession,” Lindsay said.
Lindsay said people who
are showing COVID-19 anti-
bodies are still getting sick
with the virus again, which,
for her, poses a problem.
“People make significant
decisions around a positive or
The Eagle/Steven Mitchell
County Commissioner Sam Palmer, left, and County Judge Scott Myers at Thursday’s Grant County Court session that was live-streamed on the Eagle’s Facebook page.
negative result,” she said.
Lindsay said another con-
cern the group has is that some
insurance companies may not
pay for the test.
Palmer said he would like
to use the antibody test on the
person who tested positive for
COVID-19 in Grant County
and their spouse. He said he
would then like to get a sam-
ple segment of people who
tested negative and a segment
of people who had COVID-19
symptoms earlier in the year
but were not tested and see
how they fall into line
“That would be a great
control study group,” Palmer
said.
Meanwhile, health offi-
cials and corporations across
America are pouring money
into antibody testing, hoping
it will give people confidence
to return to work and reopen
parts of the economy.
Palmer said these samples
would go to Oregon Health
& Science University to help
get the antibody tests licensed
under the FDA.
In other county court
news:
• The court voted to leave
the courthouse closed to the
public through May 15. Grant
County Judge Scott Myers
said the county has been meet-
ing the needs of the public so
far and that for the health of
the public they should “leave
it as it is.”
• The court voted unan-
imously to begin the pro-
cess of seeking grant funding
for communications equip-
ment for the Grant County
Emergency Communications
Agency.
Hospital to lift ban on elective nonemergency procedures May 1
By Steven Mitchell
Blue Mountain Eagle
With
Gov.
Kate
Brown’s
announcement Thursday to lift the
ban on nonemergency medical proce-
dures beginning May 1, Blue Moun-
tain Hospital will cautiously increase
outpatient, clinic and ancillary ser-
vices, according to a BMH press
release.
Brown’s plan, starting next month,
will allow hospitals across the state
to open back up for elective proce-
dures as long as they reserve enough
hospital beds and protective gear —
gowns, masks, gloves — for a surge
in coronavirus cases.
The cancellation of nonemergency
elective procedures thrust hospitals
into an awkward position: They were
told to prepare for the COVID-19
pandemic, while at the same time see-
ing a dramatic drop in revenue wait-
ing for the spike in patients.
Additionally, the hospital is still
closed to visitors and non-patients, and
the hospital adjusted its seating policy
in the waiting room to accommodate
appropriate social distancing. The hos-
pital will continue to monitor its sup-
ply of personal protective equipment
continuously.
According to the press release, the
emergency room triage tent will be
taken down, and patients seeking emer-
gency services are to report to the emer-
gency room entrance.
Patients with respiratory symptoms
are still encouraged to continue to call
541-575-1311 before arriving to the
hospital.
Should there be a surge in COVID-
19 cases, the hospital would use the
negative pressure tent that it received
from the Oregon Health Authority.
The Eagle/Steven Mitchell
The triage tent, erected for a spike in COVID-19 cases, will be taken down as the hospital begins to open up for
non-emergency elective medical procedures on May 1.
COPS AND COURTS
Arrests and citations in
the Blue Mountain Eagle are
taken from the logs of law
enforcement agencies. Every
effort is made to report the
court disposition of arrest
cases.
Grant County Sheriff
The Grant County Sheriff’s
Office reported the following
for the week of April 22:
Concealed
handgun
licenses: 0
Average inmates: 11
Bookings: 3
Releases: 1
Arrests: 1
Citations: 0
Fingerprints: 1
Civil papers: 4
Warrants processed: 0
Assistance/Welfare check: 0
Search and Rescue: 0
Oregon State Police
Grant County Justice
Court
Violation of the basic
rule: Raymond G. Star-
key, 64, Aumsville, March
3, 70/55 zone, fined $165;
Ryan M. Stahl, 19, Pendle-
ton, April 15, 76/55 zone,
$165; Dianna L. Ness, 48,
Milton Freewater, March
26, 81/55 zone, fined $265;
Sylvester Mahone, 47, Spo-
kane, Washington, March 6,
70/55 zone, fined $165.
Exceeding speed limit:
Katherine F. Sanders, 39,
Portland, March 22, 79/65
zone, fined $265; Peter
Podovinikoff, 83, Surrey,
British Columbia, March 1,
47/30 zone, fined $140.
April 22: OSP arrested
Raymond S. Martin, 42, of
Seneca for an outstanding fel-
ony warrant out of Missouri.
April 23: OSP stopped a
white Dodge pickup for viola-
tion of the posted speed, 79/65
zone. Britt M. Wilcox, 25, of
John Day was issued a cita-
tion and released on a misde-
meanor arrest warrant for fail-
ure to appear out of the Grant
County Circuit Court. He was
also issued a citation for viola-
tion of the posted speed.
April 24: OSP responded
to milepost 128 on Highway
26 for a vehicle versus deer
crash. The vehicle was travel-
ing eastbound at 45 mph when
a deer ran into the road from
the north shoulder. The driver
was unable to avoid the deer.
The deer struck the side of
vehicle and rolled down the
side, taking off the mirror and
damaging the driver side. The
vehicle sustained significant
damage, but was driveable.
The driver drove the vehicle
away from the scene. No cita-
tions issued.
Dispatch
John Day dispatch worked
90 calls during the week of
April. 20-26, including:
• John Day Police
Department
April 20: Received a report
of a fight on West Main Street.
April 23: Received a
report of a driver that was
high. Tina Hand, 52, of John
In order to be open during the Covid 19
quarantine, a lot of things have to be
done to keep everyone safe. Mother’s Day
orders for flowers & candy must be done
through the drive up or walk up window
or by calling in advance - which is highly
541-575-2112 • Call/Text/PM Me recommended due to the high demand.
pain on West Main Street.
April 21: Dispatched for
a man with a possible broken
back on Cottonwood Street.
April 21: Dispatched to Mt.
Vernon for a man with a sei-
zure who fell and hit his head.
April 22: Responded for a
25-year-old man with a possi-
ble allergic reaction.
April 22: Dispatched for
a woman with flu-like symp-
toms on Southwest Violet
Street.
April 23: Responded for
a woman with heart attack
symptoms on Highway 26.
April 24: Responded for
an infant who had stopped
breathing.
April 26: Responded to a
78-year-old woman with chest
pains on Valley View Drive.
Mother’s Day Specials
Tablets
Computers
Verizon & Dish
Digital Frame Starting @ $99.99
(limited supply)
Greenhouse OPEN
Pony Packs
Hanging Baskets - 10” & 12”
Large Kitchen Center
Amy Howard at Home
Huge Hardware Selection
Gifts of All Kinds
• We will be doing limited deliveries and
they will be knock and drop.
• European wraps: $25~$40~$60
• Gourmet chocolates available in 1, 4, 6,
or 12 piece boxes.
S185383-1
Open Monday-Saturday 8-6, Sunday 10-3
Day was booked and released
for DUII.
April 25: Along with OSP
and Grant County Sheriff’s
Office, responded to a dispute
on East Main Street.
• Oregon State Police
April 23: Received a
report of a reckless driver
between John Day and Prai-
rie City.
• Grant County Sheriff’s
Office
April 23: Received an ani-
mal complaint on Shirttail
Creek Road.
• John Day ambulance
April 20: Received a report
of a person with a headache,
neck ache, fever and chills on
Violet Street.
April 20: Responded for
a 65-year-old man with chest
• Other arrangements can be purchased
but you can not go in to view. We will
show you a couple of different options.
• No call out orders, which means we cannot call other floral shops
in other areas for delivery.
S186210-1
S185153-1