Local News

KWSO News for Wed., Oct. 6, 2021

Posted on by sue.matters
06
Oct

Starting October 18th – visitors to St. Charles facilities must be fully vaccinated to further protect patients and caregivers.  Visitors will only be allowed if they provide acceptable proof that they are fully vaccinated. On October 18th, health care workers are also required to be fully vaccinated by the state of Oregon.  A person is considered fully vaccinated if at least two weeks have passed since they received their second dose of a two-dose series (Pfizer or Moderna) or a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson).

Acceptable proof of vaccination is:

  • A COVID-19 vaccination record card
  • A copy or digital picture of the vaccination record card
  • A print-out from the Oregon Health Authority’s immunization registry
  • A screenshot or printout from an electronic medical record showing vaccination status
  • or a St. Charles Health System badge with a COVID vaccination sticker

Washington state’s Covid hospitalization cases are declining. Covid-related deaths are also down.   BUT we’re not in the clear yet, says University of Washington epidemiologist Judith Malmgren.  Nearby states … like Montana, Idaho, and Alaska  … still have high Covid numbers.  And their cases have ripple effects in Washington State.   Malmgren says when serious cases occur in those sates – those people are airlifted to King Count.   Elsewhere in the state, smaller hospitals are overwhelmed with Covid cases that could affect people seeking non-Covid care.     Malmgren says “That means if something happens to you, you have a heart attack… whatever happens to you something serious, there’s not going to be any room for you.”   And it’s not just rooms.   Another looming concern is staffing shortage as hospitals lose healthcare workers from the state’s vaccination mandate.

This Sunday’s “Street Dog Hero and Fences for Fido Spay and Neuter Clinic” saw appointments fill up quickly when the clinic was first announced.  However there is still a walk in Mobile Wellness Clinic that does not require any appointments.  From 9am – 3pm they will offer free services at the Warm Springs Community Center Parking Lot.  It will be first come, first serve.  Safe Social Distancing Protocols will be in place and facemasks are required.  The Walk Up clinic will include exams, vaccinations, rabies, microchip, parasite control, flea & Tick Application, Treatment of Minor Wounds and Infections.

U.S. officials have approved a long-lasting fire retardant that could significantly aid in fighting increasingly destructive wildfires. The U.S. Forest Service on Tuesday approved Perimeter Solutions’ fire retardant that is intended to be used as a preventative measure and can last for months. It’s similar to the red-dyed retardant dropped from aircraft, but it is clear and lasts much longer. The company says its primary use will be by industrial customers such as utility companies and railroads, but can also be used at residential and commercial properties. The product could reduce the number of wildfires, freeing up firefighters that have been in short supply in recent years.

Warm Springs Fire Management is doing fall burning this month.  Prescribed Burns are planned in the areas of :  East Beaver, HeHe, Triple Butte, Triangle, Metolius Bench and Beachcomb.  You can call 541-553-8301 if you have any questions.

 

sue.matters