I forgot to include this link to the Oregon Health Authority’s weekly report,
which came out yesterday so it has the latest information. Perhaps more than
anyone really wants to know….
https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/DISEASESAZ/Emerging%20Respitory%20Infections/COVID-19-Weekly-Report-2020-06-17-FINAL.pdf
Mary
On Jun 19, 2020, at 6:42 AM, Mary Garrard <springazure1@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi everyone, you may or may not know that Lincoln County has had a large
outbreak of COVID-19 with 145 cases in a seafood processing plant, as of
early June. There are also 7 cases at Local Ocean, a favorite restaurant on
the Newport bayfront, and I have heard a rumor that there were a number of
cases at the Fred Meyer store in Newport but that’s not confirmed. Lincoln
County Health Department has mandated masks.
In light of this, I hope that birders will avoid Lincoln County and perhaps
other coastal communities. The risk may be low, especially on a single day
visit, but an unexpected event—a sprained ankle, a flat tire—could add a
small burden to community resources. Further, we should assume that there is
community spread, and it would be unfortunate to seed more cases into the
area, or take cases away.
The economic and emotional pain of the pandemic is deep and real and unlikely
to end anytime soon despite the wishful thinking of some. Best of health to
all.
Happy summer birding!
Mary