BUSINESS
A8 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2020
New workplaces join list of COVID-19 outbreaks
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
Umatilla
County’s
rising
COVID-19 cases continue to touch
more workplaces in the area, as the
county passed the 1,000-case mark
over the weekend of July 11-12.
As of Tuesday, July 14, Uma-
tilla County reported 1,073 con-
fi rmed COVID-19 cases and 66
presumptive cases. After hitting a
high of 17 hospitalizations on Fri-
day, July 10, the county was at 12
hospitalized cases on July 14.
An eighth Umatilla County resi-
dent who was positive for COVID-
19 died on July 8, according to
Umatilla County Public Health.
The person was a 54-year-old man
who died at his residence.
Oregon Health Authority con-
tinues to report worksite outbreaks
in a report released each Wednes-
day. The outbreaks on the list have
at least 30 people at the worksite
and have at least fi ve cases linked
to that worksite, through employ-
ees testing positive and close con-
tacts of those employees testing
positive after they do.
Atkinson Staffi ng in Hermiston
was added to the Oregon Health
Authority’s list of outbreaks for
July 8, with 13 cases linked to the
company.
Owner Michael Atkinson said
he had previously brought in a
company to test all employees, and
at that point no one tested posi-
tive, but since then there have been
cases.
He said Atkinson Staffi ng has a
“very generous” COVID-19 sick
Staff photo by Ben Lonergan
Barbara Dickerson protests in support of stronger COVID-19 precautions in prisons outside of Eastern Oregon
Correctional Institution in Pendleton on Friday, July 10, 2020. Dickerson’s husband is an inmate at EOCI who
tested positive for COVID-19.
leave policy because he doesn’t
want anyone to feel that they must
come to work sick to be able to
support themselves. He said people
are paid to stay home from the time
they start showing symptoms until
whatever quarantine period their
doctor or the county health depart-
ment asked them to follow is up.
The nature of a staffi ng agency,
where people come in looking for
work and are sent on temporary
work assignments in various loca-
tions, can mean more exposure to
the community than some work-
places. But Atkinson said they
are doing what they can, includ-
ing paying people to stay home
if they were exposed to some-
one who tested positive, sanitiz-
ing everything regularly and clos-
ing down the offi ce so that people
can only come in for a one-on-one
appointment.
“We’ve got people working
from home that I wouldn’t have
thought could work from home,”
he said.
Atkinson said so far all but a
couple of the employees who have
tested positive have experienced
only mild symptoms.
Lamb Weston’s potato process-
ing plant in Hermiston remained on
Cancer center offers online classes
By JADE MCDOWELL
NEWS EDITOR
The Tri-Cities Cancer Cen-
ter, which has a satellite offi ce in
Hermiston, is offering free vir-
tual classes to the community.
Jennifer Hamilton, an oncol-
ogy esthetician, is teaching
“Skin Care for Cancer Conquer-
ors” on Friday, July 17 from
10-11 a.m.
The class will discuss skin
care for patients going through
chemotherapy or radiation treat-
ment, or recently fi nished. Topics
will include which products are
safe to use, sun protection and
avoiding rashes, dry skin or acne
breakouts.
Register by calling call 509-
737-3427 or visit tccancer.org/
event/free-community-presen-
tation-skin-care-for-cancer-con-
querors-virtual. The class is
free, but registration is required
to receive a link to the Zoom
meeting.
Doctors Lee Ostler from The
Center for Dental Health and Guy
Jones of the Tri-Cities Cancer
Center will teach “Oral Health in
Cancer Care” on Thursday, July
23, from 4-5 p.m.
The class will cover how to
maintain good oral care, nutri-
tion and hygiene during can-
cer treatments, including how to
address oral side effects of the
treatments.
Register by calling call 509-
737-3427 or visit tccancer.org/
event/free-community-pre-
sentation-oral-health-in-can-
cer-care-virtual-class.
the Oregon Health Authority’s list
of outbreaks for a third week, with
115 cases linked to the worksite as
of July 8.
Lamb Weston spokeswoman
Shelby Stoolman said in an email
that the plant was closed for three
weeks after the company learned of
its fi rst four cases on June 15.
“Since June 15, our staff have
been at home with pay as we have
done everything we can to under-
stand the outbreak and how to bring
our team back safely,” she said on
July 8. “Today, we brought back a
limited staff of about 30 people to
begin reopening.”
Columbia River Processing, a
subsidiary of Tillamook in Board-
man, remained on the list for a sec-
ond week in a row with 22 cases.
Oregon Potato Company in Board-
man remained on the list with
11 cases. Hill Meat Company
remained on the list with seven
cases. Shearer’s Foods in Herm-
iston was added to the Oregon
Health Authority’s list for the fi rst
time with 11 cases, but had previ-
ously sent out a news release about
its fi rst six cases.
Medelez Trucking and Good
Shepherd Health Care System in
Hermiston, Umatilla County’s fi rst
two worksites to land on OHA’s
list in June, have both moved to
the “resolved outbreaks” list after
going more than 30 days without a
new case linked to them.
Two Rivers Correctional Insti-
tution in Umatilla had fi ve cases
linked to it as of July 8.
Jennifer Black, communica-
tions manager at Oregon Depart-
ment of Corrections, said they will
continue to test inmates who dis-
play COVID-19 symptoms, screen
employees, and sanitize common
areas.
“The health of our employees
and the people we incarcerate is
our highest priority,” Black said.
Eastern Oregon Correctional
Institution in Pendleton had its
fi rst inmate test positive on July
8, according to a news release. As
of July 13, the prison was report-
ing 16 inmates and three staff had
tested positive.
Hermiston Herald reporter Nada
Sewidan contributed to this report.
OSHA has online reporting form
HERMISTON HERALD
The Occupational Safety and
Health Administration is encour-
aging workers and members of
the public to use its online report-
ing tool when reporting workplace
hazards.
According to a news release
from OSHA, the agency is process-
ing high numbers of complaints
related to COVID-19, and while
people can still call in, the online
reporting form in English and
Spanish is a quicker way to bring
the complaint to their attention.
Michael Wood, administra-
tor for Oregon OSHA, said “Our
online system is faster at absorbing
complaints and allowing us to effi -
ciently respond to them.”
Gov. Kate Brown has des-
ignated OSHA, rather than law
enforcement, as the main enforce-
ment agency for COVID-19 rules,
such as keeping customers 6 feet
apart and requiring people to wear
a mask in indoor public spaces.
For more information about
OSHA or to report a workplace
complaint of any kind, visit osha.
oregon.gov.
Dr. Shanley is welcoming new
patients, 6 months and older, for all
their primary care needs at Good
Shepherd’s Primary Care Clinic.
Dr. Shanley brings over 20 years
of Family Medicine expertise,
treating a large variety of different
health conditions that will benefit
his patients.
“
I am happy to fulfill the need of
primary care in Hermiston and
the surrounding communities,
and look forward to positively
impacting the health and well-
being for patients of all ages,
through all stages of life.
- Dr. Shanley
”
Welcoming
New Patients
Welcome Family Medicine
Physician,
David Shanley, MD
GOOD SHEPHERD
MEDICAL GROUP
Primary Care Clinic
541.667.3830
620 NW 11th Street, Suite 103
Hermiston, OR 97838