Local Vaccination Clinic; Firehouse Fined For Allowing Eat-In Dining; New COVID-19 Numbers; Are You Ready For Self-Driving Vehicle?

Local Vaccination Clinic

Lane County Public Health is coordinating with West Lane Emergency Operations Group and the City of Florence to bring a mass Vaccination Clinic to Florence on Wednesday, March 3rd at the Florence Events Center beginning at 10 am.  Assistant City Manager Megan Messmer says that in order to be eligible you need to be registered through the county’s website.

“It will be a walk through clinic by appointment only so it is very important for people to know that they do need to preregister.”

Messmer said that one of the issues other clinic have had is that people are showing up far in advance of their appointment with concerns that they might not get their shot.  She says this is not a worry people need to carry.

“It’s not a general admission type thing, if you have an appointment there is essentially a vaccine with  your name on it.”

She says that coming early will only flood the area with too many people.  Beginning Monday those in the 65 and older age category will be eligible.  Lane County Search and Rescue will be administering the vaccinations.  LCPH’s Jason Davis says almost 3000 florence residents 65 and over have already preregistered for Wednesday’s event. people can expect to be receiving confirmation emails.  The registration portal remains open as LCPH is planning more clinics in the near future.

Firehouse Fined For Allowing Eat-In Dining

Another Florence restaurant received the news that they have been fined by Oregon OSHA for violations committed against the COVID-19 restrictions in place by the state and the Oregon Health Authority.  OSHA admits there was no in-person inspection done due to concerns that the business may be blocked to government officials by armed individuals.  The Firehouse restaurant on Bay street was fined twice the minimum amount at $17,800 the same fine administered to the Little Brown Hen previously.  An additional $175.00 dollar fine was added because OSHA says the business failed to institute an infection control plan and another $175.00 fine because they did not conduct a COVID-19 risk assessment.  The forthcoming change in the county risk level will not affect the issuance of the fine.

New COVID-19 Numbers

As Lane County gets ready to move to the High Risk Category there has been another COVID-19 case for the area.  Florence is now at 163 cases for the coronavirus and the county has added another 31 total cases.  The numbers continue to decrease though and should nor effect the move to a lower risk category.  There are 19 individuals hospitalized and 164 persons considered infectious.  The state weekly report notes a 35% decrease over the previous week in new cases.  Yesterday there were 437 cases statewide.  Vaccination supplies are once again climbing as Oregon has now received a total of 1,133,695 doses.  The state 2 day total of vaccinations administered were 22,406.

Are You Ready For Self-Driving Vehicle?

Are you considering a new electric vehicle or a gas vehicle equipped with self driving features?  Marie Dodds with AAA Oregon says that a large percentage of people surveyed are still not sure they are ready.  Dodds says the AAA survey shows 80% of potential new car buyers want the technology vetted further before they buy.  Although 58% of those surveyed say they would like take them in their next vehicle.