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Local politics, the county, and the world, as viewed by Tammy Maygra Tammy’s views are her own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bill Eagle, his pastor, Tammy’s neighbors, Wayne Mayo, Betsy Johnson, Brad Witt, Former President Trump, Henry Heimuller, Joe Biden, Pat Robertson, Joe Biden’s dogs, or Claudia Eagle’s Cats. This Tammy’s Take (with the exception of this disclaimer) is not paid for or written by, or even reviewed by anyone but Tammy and she refuses to be bullied by anyone.
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23 New Covid Deaths
Columbia County Returns To Extreme High Risk
As Columbia County returns today to Extreme High risk under the state's pandemic health and safety classifications, there is resistance to the risk classifications by Columbia County Commissioners. Columbia County and 14 other counties were to be classified as Extreme High Risk counties under the Oregon pandemic health and safety classifications. That means tighter public and business health and safety restrictions. The county commissioners wrote in a letter to Gov. Brown, The virus continues to take a grave toll on our local economies with restaurants representing one of the key cornerstones fueling connectivity, hope, and mental health for our residents. The commissioners have joined 79 other Oregon county commissioners and the Oregon hospitality industry in expressing their concerns in the letter. The variants are indeed troublesome,” the letter states, “and we share your concern for their spread. But shutting down our restaurants and further depriving Oregonians of their right to make calculated community engagement risks when the virus continues to spread elsewhere will not result in success.” How can the county commissioners be so oblivious? How can they write such an ignorant letter when there are so many unbelievers of science and vaccines living in the county. I understand restaurants are having trouble staying afloat. But is opening up worth the possibility that one of your customers have covid and have now spread it to all the other customers and your staff, who in turn will spread it to their families and so on and so forth. We need to stay strong and do whatever it takes so we can get out of the pandemic, but if we cant follow simple rules do simple things like wearing a mask and social distancing we will be stuck with covid and mutated strains and have more deaths and longer shutdowns. Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Oregon, Brown announced Tuesday, April 27, updates to county risk levels under the state’s public health framework. With hospitalizations rising above 300 people statewide, threatening to overwhelm doctors and nurses, 15 counties, including Columbia, will move to the Extreme Risk level effective Friday, April 30 through Thursday, May 6. If we don’t act now, doctors, nurses, hospitals, and other health care providers in Oregon will be stretched to their limits treating severe cases of COVID-19,” Brown said. “Today’s announcement will save lives and help stop COVID-19 hospitalizations from spiking even higher. With new COVID-19 variants widespread in so many of our communities, it will take all of us working together to bring this back under control.”
Brown is partnering with lawmakers to approve a $20 million small business emergency relief package to immediately support impacted businesses in Extreme Risk counties through the commercial rent relief program. In an effort to speed up the return to normal business operations, county COVID-19 data will be evaluated weekly for at least the next three weeks. Any updates to county risk levels next week will be announced on Tuesday, May 4 and take effect on Friday, May 7. Counties that improve their COVID-19 metrics will have the opportunity to move to a lower risk level. Counties will remain in Extreme Risk for a maximum of three weeks. The fastest way to lift health and safety restrictions is for Oregonians to get vaccinated as quickly as possible and follow the safety measures we know stop this virus from spreading,” Brown said. “I recognize the burden these restrictions place on Oregon businesses and working families. My goal is to lift these restrictions as soon as it is safely possible, and keep Oregon on the path for lifting most health and safety requirements by the end of June so we can fully reopen our economy. But we will only get there if enough Oregonians get vaccinated. In addition, Brown announced that outdoor capacity limits for bars, restaurants, and other sectors will be raised from 50 to 100 people in Extreme Risk counties, with health and safety measures, including physical distancing, in place. We know that the risk of COVID-19 transmission is lower outdoors,” Brown said. “I am urging all Oregonians, if you choose to gather with others, keep it outdoors. Indoor transmission is a key driver in the COVID-19 surge that is making renewed health and safety restrictions necessary. Lets all continue to work together so all of us can get back to a normal life.
Tammy
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