Linn Goldberg and Louis Speizer
Goldberg, M.D., is a professor emeritus at Oregon Health and Science University. He lives in Lake Oswego. Speizer, who has a doctorate in physiology, works in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. He lives in Flemington, New Jersey.
The Oregon Health Authority is recommending mask wearing indoors, with increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. It’s not enough.
Oregon is caught in a “Mission Accomplished” moment. Like President George W. Bush’s premature announcement that the Iraq War’s objectives were attained, Gov. Kate Brown stopped Oregon’s pandemic precautions of indoor mask-wearing and social distancing too early. Curiously, the governor eliminated the mandates on June 30, 19,000 Oregonians short of her original goal of inoculating 70% of adults with at least one vaccine dose. There were two problems with this approach. Because 20% of Oregonians are under 18, her inoculation goal actually was just injecting 56% of Oregonians – far short of the 70%-90% benchmark needed to achieve herd immunity, as suggested by the American Lung Association. And since both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines need at least two weeks after the second dose to be fully effective, the governor was lifting restrictions before many of those inoculated Oregonians were fully protected.
The dramatic surge in COVID-19 infections was predictable. When pandemic measures were removed on June 30, Oregon reported 176 cases. Twelve days later there were 507 new infections. On July 22, with 533 new COVID cases and hospitalizations increasing, Oregon’s “health authorities” reported they had no plans to reinstitute COVID-19 restrictions. Oregon Health Authority’s Director Patrick Allen, a non-healthcare professional, made the statement that the rise in infections did not require a state-wide response, and instead directed counties to “consider” their own measures.
Viral infections don’t abide by county boundaries. When Oregonians or those from out-of-state travel from one county to another, they can spread disease. This is a state issue. On July 27, as new infections soared to more than 1000 , the health authority recommended “universal mask use in public indoor settings throughout the state to protect Oregonians from COVID-19,” only after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested the change. Unfortunately, this is not a mandate. Brown has in recent days announced mask requirements for students and staff in K-12 schools, as well as for visitors and employees in state buildings. This is still insufficient. Not requiring prior pandemic hygiene measures is a potential death sentence for the unvaccinated, and for Oregonians who are immune deficient, including those with certain cancers and people receiving chemotherapy. In addition, children under age 12 are still ineligible for vaccination. Even vaccinated Oregonians are not immune to hospitalizations and deaths, as a small percentage of COVID-19 breakthrough cases occur, and they can unknowingly spread disease as well.
So, what can be done? Oregon should reinstitute all public and business indoor mask-wearing and social distancing of six feet to protect children, the immune-compromised and people not yet vaccinated. To influence those who remain vaccine reluctant, Oregon could take a leadership role and implement vaccine passports similar to France. Passports would enable Oregonians to dine in restaurants or bars and frequent gyms or salons where masks could be removed. Any person who refuses wearing a mask in public and is not vaccinated, should be charged with reckless endangerment, not unlike driving while drunk. These two actions may sway those who are still on the fence toward receiving a vaccination.
Oregon had done a good job compared to other states in controlling the pandemic. Mask mandates are effective. Oregon’s Health Authority is designed to improve our lifelong health. The governor and the health authority should complete this task before more lives are lost.
"Opinion" - Google News
August 01, 2021 at 08:02PM
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Opinion: Governor must take stronger measures on COVID - OregonLive
"Opinion" - Google News
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