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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 2020)
A14 STATE Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, October 21, 2020 COVID-19 ‘on the march again’ in Oregon, U.S. Willful neglect of safeguards fueling the current surge By Gary A. Warner Oregon Capital Bureau The fight against COVID-19 is being undercut by precaution fatigue, willful ignorance and mixed messages between health officials in Oregon and Washington, D.C. The result is that, after a late sum- mer lull, new cases of the sometimes deadly virus are on the rise again in the state and U.S. “COVID-19 is on the march again in Oregon,” Pat Allen, director of the Oregon Health Authority, said at a Friday briefing. In the past two weeks, cases have risen more than 24% in Oregon. Allen called the increase a “stark reversal” of gains the state had made previously on tamping down the virus spread. The state on Friday recorded 418 new cases and six deaths, bringing the statewide totals to 38,935 cases and 617 deaths since the virus first appeared in Oregon in February. Allen said it was part of a contin- ued high count of cases. “Last week’s total set a new high for the pandemic,” Allen said. “On three consecutive days last week we exceeded 400 cases, including a record daily total of 484.” Tests for the infection are cur- rently coming back 6.4% positive. Health officials have a target of 5% to keep the virus at a plateaued level. Even a small percentage increase can lead over time to exponential growth. If cases continue on their cur- rent trajectory, Oregon could see 570 reported cases and 40 new hospital- izations each day. “This is a troubling scenario,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state’s top infectious disease expert. Social gatherings continue to be the main way that the infec- tion is spread as people from differ- ent households mingle in sometimes multiple-family situations. Health officials said it is under- standable that human nature is to let your guard down around peo- ple you know, especially with peo- ple “fatigued” by keeping their guard up at all times with masks, social dis- tancing and extra hygiene. But for the first time health author- ities said that willful neglect of safe- guards by some people is fueling the current surge. At a time when President Donald Trump has told Americans not to be afraid of COVID-19 despite his own infection and hospitalization, Ore- gon health officials are pressing the message that residents need to dou- ble down on their efforts to keep the growth of COVID-19 under control. “There is massive counter-pro- gramming that is not helpful — peo- ple with really big loudspeakers” Allen said, without specifically nam- ing Trump. Sidelinger said he had canceled his own family plans for Thanksgiv- ing because he lives with someone over 80. The rest of the family will participate virtually. The argument against exposure extends to Halloween traditions. “We are recommending against gathering including, sadly, trick-or- treating,” Allen said. Officials said interactions between dozens of people and the handing of candy back and forth could lead to infection. They suggested alternative ways to celebrate, such as appearing outside of family friends’ windows so they could see costumes. PMG file photo Pat Allen, Oregon Health Authority director, at a press conference earlier in 2020. Allen said, though hospitalizations in Oregon are nearing their levels in July, the state has more resources and knowledge to combat serious cases of COVID-19, including increased amounts of personal protective gear and new medical protocols that do not require as many ventilators to be used. After the press briefing Friday, Gov. Kate Brown separately announced that Lane County, home to the University of Oregon in Eugene, was being added to the state’s watch list of counties where the increase of cases is being more heavily monitored. The state reported Wednesday that the 97403 zip code in Eugene, near the university campus, had the highest per capita increase in new COVID-19 cases of any zip code in the state. “There is no question that the spread of COVID-19 in Lane County is connected — to a degree — to stu- dent social activities” Brown said. “Social gatherings, like off-campus parties, are incredibly dangerous and spread this disease.” Brown said keeping the virus spread under control in the state’s fourth most populous county — with 382,067 residents spread from Flor- ence on the coast to the crest of the Cascades — was a task that went beyond the University of Oregon campus. “Once COVID-19 is spreading in the community, small family get-to- gethers can also lead to dozens of infections,” Brown said. The four other counties on the watch list include Clatsop, Umatilla, Malheur and Benson counties, the last home to the Oregon State University campus. As of Friday, the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center has recorded over 39 million COVID-19 cases in the world, with more than 1.1 million deaths. In the U.S., there have been over 8 million cases with 218,137 deaths. Infection rates are on the rise in the U.S. and around much of the North- ern Hemisphere as the seasons shift from summer to fall and into win- ter. World Health Organization offi- cials say indoor gatherings increase the likelihood of transmission. Sea- sonal holiday gatherings also lead to higher chances of prolonged exposure to someone who is infected. The new deaths included a 50-year- old man in Jefferson County, a 65-year- old woman and 82-year-old man in Washington County, an 81-year- old man in Multnomah County, an 88-year-old woman in Curry County and a 94-year-old woman in Hood River County Officials also dismissed a new dissident medical movement that has been advanced in recent days by Trump administration policy advisor Dr. Scott Atlas, a radiologist with no experience in communicable diseases. Health and Human Service Secretary Alex Azar has also discussed the con- troversial “herd immunity” idea with White House policy advisors. “The Great Barrington Declara- tion,” named after the New England town where the idea was put forth at a libertarian forum, encourages that “those not vulnerable should imme- diately be allowed to resume life as normal.” Those at risk should be pro- tected, though no plan how to do that is put forth. National Institutes of Health Direc- tor Francis Collins called the idea “fringe” science. The proponents say it has been endorsed by thousands of medical professionals who signed it online, though Britain’s Sky News reported the list has also attracted online troll- ing, with names including “Dr. Johnny Bananas” and “Dr. Person Fakename” added to the list. Mainstream medical scientists have dismissed the idea as likely to lead to a massive increase in deaths in the older population if it went into effect as any state or national policy. “It’s a massacre,” Dr. Gregg Gon- salves, an epidemiologist with the Yale School of Public Health told the Wash- ington Post. Vaccine plan reserves first doses for health care, essential workers By Suzanne Roig EO Media Group State health officials could distribute the first doses of COVID-19 vaccinations as early as the end of this month if it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But those vaccines will most likely be reserved for health care and other essential workers, who will be the first to receive them, according to a plan submitted by the Oregon Health Authority to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationwide, states were required to submit their vacci- nation plans by Friday, accord- ing to the CDC. States have about two weeks to establish distribution systems to meet CDC’s Nov. 1 deadline. It is unknown when the vaccines will be approved, said Jona- than Modie, Oregon Health Authority spokesman. State health officials assume that vaccine supplies will be limited at first and “should be focused on indi- viduals critical to the pan- demic response, provide direct care and maintain soci- etal function, as well as those at highest risk for developing severe illness,” Modie said in an email. Topping the list of who will receive the vaccine are medical professionals, essen- tial workers, long-term care facilities, people with under- lying health conditions, peo- ple older than 65, ethnic and racial minorities, tribal com- munities, prisoners, home- less, colleges and universities, people living in group set- tings, people with disabilities and people without insurance, according to the plan. The Food and Drug Admin- istration has authorized the use of two vaccines under an Emergency Use Authorization, but it is unknown if both drugs or just one will be approved. In the 136-page Oregon plan, the state outlines its prepa- rations for two main scenar- ios for vaccine release, one for if the state receives a minimal order of 1,000 doses, and one for a large volume. S210787-1