Aw, hell. This is a tough one for an Old White Liberal: It appears the recent lock down in Oregon by Governor Kate Brown may have political elements.
One small example: Gov. Brown moved Deschutes County into the extreme risk category because the county had moved above her threshold of 200 new cases per 100,000 population. According to OregonLive, the county had 467 cases when the decision was made. Fair enough, as far as it goes.
Which may not be that far. The new restrictions close restaurants, limit attendance at gyms, outdoor events like rodeos and festivals, and impact the quality of life of most citizens.
But 60 of the most recent cases reportedly occurred at Summit High School in Bend. In fact, as long ago as February, schools have been identified as epicenters of the recent increase in COVID cases in Oregon. Add to this recent protests against vaccinations at high schools in Bend.
Last week in the Bend Bulletin there was a report of a Bend School Board meeting where Superintendent Laura Nordquist (formerly of Sisters), staff and board members said anything and everything in denial that schools were a source of recent increase in cases. Unconvincingly, without data, and so maybe or maybe not. The Bulletin also noted a resurgence in Sisters Schools.
So why hasn’t the governor taken action that pinpoints the outbreak?
Possibly because she’s more sensitive to the loss suffered by students who can’t “go” to school and their parents than she is to restaurant workers and gym owners. Possibly because she’s a Democrat supported by the Oregon Education Association, the vastly powerful teacher’s union. Perhaps because those groups naturally have access.
Instead, the governor may be doing all she can to squelch the resurgent epidemic by shutting down everything EXCEPT schools, where the spread seems to be centered.
Rather than use a rifle, she is throwing grenades. Which might work eventually, but turns everyone else into collateral damage.
Governor Brown is attempting to manage COVID according to her values as opposed to common sense, science, and the impact of misdirected action on the rest of us.