Not to be outdone by the clueless Mayor Wheeler, our clueless Governor Brown has now placed Multonomah County (along with adjoining Clackamas and Washington counties) under an “extreme risk “alert, once again shuttering indoor restaurants and gyms, along with a host of other restrictions we thought we were done with.
To say the county is under a state of “extreme risk” is like saying Portland is under a state of emergency. What is true is that Oregon is one of a minority of states showing a spike in Covid cases (nationally we have seen a 14% decrease). This spike is almost exclusively among unvaccinated people and the vaccination campaign is proceeding well. While I was initially dubious, real life data is showing all three vaccines to be largely safe and effective at nearly eliminating moderate to severe disease and transmission.
Oregon has been one of the most locked down states in the nation, with one of the lowest rates of infection, and little herd immunity. It is understandable that when the prison doors are opened a crack, rates will go up somewhat.I repeat, the prison doors have been opened a crack. The indoor mask mandate is still in place. There are still serious limits on large gatherings, indoor and outdoor, and institutions that are slowly returning to “normal” are long way from there, given the strict protocols for their operation. Unvaccinated people still need to exercise caution, and after over a year of this, some may not be. They may be traveling to see family and friends they have not seen in over a year, getting out to the dentist and hair salon, maybe having a few indoor parties they shouldn’t.
Since the vaccine is clearly working what is clearly the wise course is to intensify the vaccination campaign. All adults are now eligible for the vaccine. Governor Brown should be concentrating her efforts on making sure enough vaccine is available (including the Johnson and Johnson) and facilitating vaccination for those who may be having trouble making appointments or getting to a site. A pro vaccine advertising campaign would be a good idea as well as emphasizing the clear health and lifestyle benefits for those who are vaccinated.
Instead we have more clamping down and scaremongering. I intend (as a vaccinated person and a free citizen) to make my own decisions on a personal level as to what is safe and what is not. However, businesses do not have that luxury. A restaurant who made it through the pandemic year and has now reopened– ordering food and drink, rehiring, making infrastructure investments, paying rent–now must accept another blow. The same goes for gyms and other small businesses. Are Brown and Wheeler trying to drive all these businesses and the people they employ into the ground? My yoga studio, after holding out for about nine months, is now out of business. The once lively shopping strip where it stood is empty. This scenario is repeated throughout the city. Did it occur to Brown and Wheeler that the poverty and desperation around Portland might be one of the drivers of the Covid spike?
Science clearly indicates that ventilation is one of the major factors in Covid spread, if not the main one, and a recent MIT study indicates that social distancing indoors is “hygiene theater”. Instead of closing indoor spaces, why not require certain ventilation standards (just like plumbing and electric have to be up to code) and open windows? And please tell me why windowless big box stores like Home Depot are allowed to stay open and small restaurants and gyms with ready access to outdoor air have to close?
But, hey, why ask for logic ?
wendy's opinion on just about everything 