Lane County Plea for Florence (update)
In an interview with coast Radio, Lane County Public Health Liaison Jason Davis made an impassioned plea to Florence to get vaccinated. Numbers have been rising steadily in the community over the past two week and he says it may get worse before it gets better.
“Florence needs you to stay healthy. Florence needs everybody to work at the restaurants, to work at the businesses, to keep you community alive we need people alive , we need people well and ready to work, we do not need them home on their back.”
Florence has seen a triple digit increase over the last two weeks and has now recorded 475 cases all time. 3 more cases added over the weekend. At the same time the corner of 101 and 126 was covered with protestors wanting to make sure that they have a choice in whether or not to get vaccinated. Over the weekend dozens of individuals with signs stating personal choice and “say not to anarchy” could be seen waving along the popular corridor to Florence.
COVID-19 Case Numbers
Statewide and countywide numbers of COVID-19 are not decreasing. The State of Oregon reported another 3,207 cases on Friday and hospital beds dedicated to current COVID patients has risen to 1,098. There were also 20 new deaths reported as the Delta Variant sweeps through communities. One good note is that the average daily doses of vaccinations has risen to 8,194, that is more than 1,000 daily shots from last week’s numbers. Lane County reported 298 cases on Friday. Weekend numbers are still being tabulated on Monday. Jason Davis with Lane County Public Health says that staffing in the county has dropped and has seen people not return to work. He says he and one other staff member are the only ones responsible for the day to day reporting and each are working late into the evening just to meet the demands that COVID-19 has put on them. He says they have recently been working as late as 1 and 2 in the morning.
Outbreak Began with Unvaccinated Worker (AP)
Lane County Public health officials say a COVID-19 outbreak at an Oregon assisted living facility that has infected 64 people and killed five began with an unvaccinated worker. The Register-Guard newspaper reports that Gateway Living in Springfield has 105 employees and 101 residents. Only 63% of the staff and 82% of the residents are completely vaccinated. Lane County Public Health spokesman Jason Davis says the outbreak began with an unvaccinated employee who worked while infectious. About 60% of the cases are breakthrough cases. It’s not yet clear how many of the cases were among residents, employees or family members and others outside of the facility.
FURA to Discuss Quince Property
The City of Florence has only one planned meeting for this week. The Florence Urban Renewal Agency is slated to meet for an Executive session on Wednesday on Real Property Transactions at 4:30 and then will begin a public meeting virtually at 5:00 pm. The agency will consider action and direction related to the Quince Street property that was recently abandoned by a developer. Access to the meeting can be made through ci.florence.or.us.
