Cheers: To encouraging COVID-19 news. Coronavirus infection rates are trending in the right direction. Infections declined in Clark County over the past week; cases among schoolchildren and school staff have declined; and Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has said the United States is heading out of the “full-blown pandemic phase” of COVID-19.
Of course, infection rates are relative. Clark County in recent weeks has seen its highest number of infections since the start of the pandemic two years ago, and rates remain alarmingly high. The COVID-19 activity rate, which counts new cases per 100,000 population over 14 days, was 1,627.6 as of Thursday; anything above 200 is considered high by health officials. So, the virus remains a threat and a cause for caution. But after the infection numbers of recent months, any decline is worthy of cheers.
Jeers: To confusion at the Clark County Council. Eileen Quiring O’Brien announced Feb. 2 that she was stepping down immediately as county chair, and that she would resign from the council by the end of the month. But this week she said, “I would like to make this statement publicly: There is a chance that March 1 won’t be my last day.”
Quiring O’Brien has not submitted a resignation letter, and she is entitled to change her mind. But the situation prevents council members from pursuing a replacement for her position on the five-member council, and it has led to confusion about the process. Quiring O’Brien should clarify her plans for the benefit of other council members and her constituents.
Cheers: To sharing athletic fields. A task force commissioned by the Legislature has recommended increased sharing of school and community athletic fields as a way to provide physical activity for youth. The task force suggests statutes that designate schools as community hubs or civic centers — a sensible idea.
“We must look for innovative ways to get more kids exercise and to get the most out of our existing facilities,” Gov. Jay Inslee said. Other municipalities can take a lesson from the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex. Facilities that are paid for by the public should be available to that public.
Jeers: To antisemitism. Vancouver residents reported finding antisemitic flyers on their driveways this week, with the message blaming Jewish people for the COVID-19 pandemic. Similar flyers have been reported in other states and elsewhere in the Northwest.
There has been a rise in hate speech throughout the United States in recent years, and Miri Cypers of the Pacific Northwest branch of the Anti-Defamation League said, “It’s easy to dismiss this as extreme ideas, but I think we know from recent years how bias can escalate to violence.” Indeed, our community must stand against unfounded conspiracy theories and the hate speech they can generate.
Cheers: To Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center. The hospital has been recognized as one of the 50 best in the country by Healthgrades, a website that evaluates hospital quality. Healthgrades uses Medicare data from recent years to evaluate hospital performance in treating 30 common conditions and procedures.
To be recognized in the Top 50, a facility must rank in the Top 250 over several consecutive years. Legacy Salmon Creek opened in 2005, adding a second full-service hospital to Clark County and bolstering the level of health care throughout the region. Cheers go to everybody who helps provide demonstrably excellent care.
