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MEDFORD, Oregon – The Jackson County Council of Commissioners meets Thursday for a staff meeting and plans to address a letter drafted by a list of current and former leaders criticizing their handling of the current outbreak of COVID-19 that is overwhelming the southern Oregon hospitals.
Jackson County noted on Wednesday that the start time for the staff meeting had been changed to 9:30 am the next day, with an additional item on the agenda to discuss “correspondence to the council of commissioners.”
Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center
The letter, promulgated on Wednesday, addresses the increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Rogue Valley. While he praises the county administration and staff in their response, he criticizes county commissioners for not advocating masking, social distancing or vaccinations.
“As a result, many of our fellow citizens still think all is well. Britt has had gigs where masking was ‘recommended’ but followed shortly,” the signers wrote. “Few of the masks could be seen at our recent County Fair. Vaccination clinics have either reduced their hours of operation or closed due to lack of demand.”
The letter goes on to say that the current rate of spread could result in the closure of businesses or schools, in addition to further depleting essential medical and public health staff – asking Commissioners to play a “more active leadership role. In the response to the pandemic.
“Speak loudly and frequently to your constituents about the usefulness of public health measures, such as masking,” the letter continued. “Encourage all unvaccinated people to get vaccinated, so that they and their family, friends and co-workers do not end up on stretchers unattended in hospital hallways or suffer death. premature. “
The full text of the letter and the list of signatories are available below.
AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Our county in the midst of a medical crisis.
As the Delta variant crosses all of our communities, our hospitals are overrun with very sick patients, with necessary elective surgeries being suspended. New inpatients who can no longer be placed in hospital rooms are crammed into emergency hallways and examination rooms. The medical staff are exhausted. A scenario often seen in developing countries is now playing out in Rogue Valley.
Our county administration and staff responded admirably to the challenges, quickly taking on new roles as needed, coordinating mass vaccination clinics at the county exposure, and asking state agencies to provide additional resources as needed. . Many staff members have gone weeks without a day off.
Yet throughout the pandemic, we haven’t heard much from our county commissioners. We haven’t heard strong and unequivocal support for basic health measures such as social distancing or wearing a mask. We have not heard any strong advocacy for immunization.
As a result, many of our citizens still feel that all is well. Britt had gigs where masking was “recommended” but followed very little. Few of the masks could be seen at our recent County Fair.
Vaccination clinics have either reduced hours or closed due to lack of demand.
We risk shutting down businesses when their already overworked staff, many of whom have not been vaccinated, become ill or are placed in quarantine due to exposure to Covid-19. We risk future school closures when unvaccinated staff or children over 12 get sick, or when younger children get sick from unvaccinated parents. We risk exhausting our medical staff when burnout results in early retirement or the search for alternative employment in safer non-medical environments.
The disaster can still be avoided, even if we are running out of time.
We are former and currently elected officials, Republicans and Democrats, urging current County Commissioners to take a more active leadership role in conquering Covid-19. Speak forcefully and frequently to your constituents about the usefulness of public health measures, such as masking. Encourage all unvaccinated people to get vaccinated, so that they and their family, friends and coworkers do not end up on stretchers unattended in hospital hallways or die prematurely. .
We elected you, our county commissioners, to oversee the health and well-being of your constituents. Now is the time for you to move forward and provide the leadership we need.
Truly,
Al Densmore, Former State Representative for Medford
Bob Strosser, Dave Gilmour, MD, Sue Kupillas, Peter Sage, Tam Moore. Former County Commissioners,
Gary Wheeler, Lindsey Berryman, former mayors of Medford.
Darby Ayers-Flood, mayor of talents
Bill Walton, former mayor of Central Point
Jim Lewis, former mayor of Jacksonville
Cathy Shaw, former mayor of Ashland
Sarah Spansail, Kevin Stine, Medford City Council.
Tonya Graham, Ashland City Council
Neil Olsen, MD, Central Point City Council
Mike McClain, Jacksonville City Council
Eleanor Ponomareff, Ana Byers, Derek Volkart, Jason Clark, City Talent Council
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