By JAKE THOMAS/Oregon Capital Bureau
and QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com
Oregon could see up to 75,000 new cases of for coronavirus by mid-May unless the state takes measures aimed at stopping the spread of the disease that’s been declared a global pandemic.
The remark by State Health Officer Dean Sidelinger came as Gov. Kate Brown on Thursday announced new restrictions she was imposing to mitigate what she called an unprecedented public health crisis.
“We have not seen anything like this in our lifetimes,” said Brown, speaking to reporters in Portland. “And all we need to do is look around at what is happening around the entire world.”
The governor issued an executive order that bans social, spiritual and recreational gatherings of 250 people in Oregon until April 8.
Brown said that the 250 number is based on guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the ban does not apply to places like stores and schools, the governor issued guidelines for schools and workplaces that seek to minimize contact.
“It’s time for us all to do what we can to slow its spread and take care of one another,” Brown said in a statement. “A gathering is defined as any event in a space in which appropriate social distancing of a minimum of three feet cannot be maintained.”
The restrictions on large gatherings is intended to help people stay away from each other — called social distancing — that medical professionals believe is one of the key ways to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
The Oregon Health Authority reported three new presumptive cases of COVID-19, bringing the number of known COVID-19 patients in the state to 24.
There are now known coronavirus cases in 11 counties: 10 in Washington County; two each in Jackson, Linn, Marion and Umatilla counties, and; one each in Deschutes, Clackamas, Douglas, Klamath, Multnomah and Polk counties. Lincoln County has reported no cases.
Thirty-one more people in Oregon have tested negative for the virus in the last day, while another 96 are awaiting results, according to figures published to the authority’s website. To date, officials have tested 437 people in Oregon and another 252 are under monitoring for coronavirus symptoms.
Little Yachats, big reactions
In Yachats, big and small gatherings were already feeling the impact.
On Thursday, the Yachats Chamber of Commerce announced it was postponing its big arts and crafts fair scheduled the first weekend of Oregon’s Spring Break, March 21-22, at the Yachats Commons.
The Cape Perpetua Collaborative canceled its Saturday morning presentations at the Cape Perpetua Visitors Center for the rest of March.
Yachats Community Presbyterian Church canceled its Sunday services until further notice, citing the potential danger to its mostly elderly parishioners. The church also canceled a community chili cooking contest it was sponsoring Saturday evening.
Polly Plumb Productions announced that a nationally-known bluegrass quartet scheduled to play Wednesday, March 18 in the Commons had canceled its West Coast tour. The performance was expected to attract up to 125 people.
The monthly “Lunch Bunch” gathering of Yachats-area senior citizens scheduled for March 26 was also canceled.
The Friends of the Yachats Library announced it was postponing its annual book sale scheduled March 27-28 in the Yachats Commons. The event, which attracts more than 500 people, is the group’s largest fundraiser of the year.
At the Angell Job Corps Center just north of Yachats, director Bryan Wilson has stopped students’ off-campus trips to help prevent the possibility of contracting the coronavirus. There are currently 150 students at the center — near its 160 capacity — and 64 staff members.
Job Corps students had the ability to leave campus on the weekends and every two weeks it gets new students, Wilson said. There is one student isolated in the Job Corp health clinic with a confirmed case of the flu — but not coronavirus, Wilson said.
“We’ve just taken some extra precautions because we have so many people coming and going,” he said. “We’ve stopped a lot of the off center activities just to protect ourselves a little bit more.”
Thursday evening the city of Yachats announced that starting Monday, March 16:
- The city-owned Commons will be open from 8 a.m. to noon daily but the building will close in the afternoon for disinfecting. Morning classes in the Commons can continue if their organizers wish, but the city asks that individuals use the recommended spacing guidelines of three feet.
- Without elaborating, said the city said it will continue to work with Yachats Youth and Family Activities Program to provide services to families.
- City Hall offices will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to noon. City employees and contractors will be available by telephone in the afternoon.
- The library will be cut its operating hours and days, open from noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays. Disinfecting will occur every afternoon after the building is closed.
- The Little Log Church will continue regular operations but the building will be disinfected every afternoon.
- To comply with the governor’s request to limit government in-person meetings, City Council meetings starting next week will be live streamed on Facebook by Information Station, an online streaming service from Waldport. People will be able to ask questions of the council via Facebook and Information Station will repeat the questions and council members will answer them live. But people cannot be prohibited from attending meetings.
- City Manager Shannon Beaucaire and the chairs of the city’s five commissions and committees will continue discussing whether to continue monthly meetings.
Beaucaire said the city will follow best practices outlined by state and federal agencies for disinfecting facilities.
“We encourage you to use the best practices for your own individual needs during this situation,” Beaucaire said in a news release announcing the changes. “If you are sick, please stay home. If you have a compromised immune system, please use your judgement about attending events and meetings.”
Big changes for schools, including Lincoln County
Schools in Lincoln County and across the state are also being affected by the governor’s executive order. Brown said schools should stop holding assemblies and other gatherings but said the state would expect school closures to be a “last resort.”
The Lincoln County School District on Thursday announced it would suspend any events that might bring groups of 250 or more students, adults, and community members together.
The district also said it was suspending immediately all school-based assemblies and events, such as plays, concerts, family nights, off-campus field trips, and district-wide professional development meetings and events.
Athletic events will continue but follow Oregon School Activity Association guidelines that calls for only athletes, essential personnel and coaches to attend. No spectators will be allowed, including parents and relatives.
“The list of affected activities will grow as we work with partners and stakeholders over the coming days,” Lincoln County School District Superintendent Karen Gray said in a news release. “We will update you as we make those decisions. To be clear, we are taking every step possible so that we can continue to provide high-quality education for all of our students and keep our schools and programs open.
Gray also said the district “will continue emphasizing the importance of hand washing at school,” custodians are prioritizing high-touch surfaces in classrooms and common areas and that the district is making sure schools and buses have adequate cleaning supplies.
Nursing homes and colleges
Over the weekend, Brown declared a state of emergency in Oregon and state officials on
Monday banned most visits to nursing homes, residential care facilities and other licensed
facilities. About 30,000 Oregonians live in 670 such facilities across the state.
Oregon State University, Portland State University and the University of Oregon announced they would take classes online for the next term for about 80,000 students.
Brown said it was clear such measures were necessary.
“These steps can help save lives. This is what is at stake,” the governor said.
Oregon should be prepared for thousands of cases, she said, with her actions having two goals: stop the spread of the disease and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed.
She also said it was aimed at protecting people most vulnerable to COVID-19, which include older adults and those with underlying health conditions.
Brown said that the virus will affect the lives of Oregonians and the state’s economy and noted
the hardship some will face.
The number of confirmed cases in Oregon rose to 21 Thursday after two elderly men in a Lebanon veterans’ nursing home contracted the virus. State health officials have sent a “strike team” into the nursing home and will test all of its residents and staff.
Testing for COVID-19 has focused on people most at risk and the Oregon State Public Health
Laboratory can process 80 kits a day. The state is seeking to expand its testing capacity by
allowing commercial labs to process samples.
Brown said that while she would appreciate the capacity for more testing there is currently an
adequate amount.