coronavirus
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St. Charles Nurse Shares an Insider’s Perspective on Caring for COVID-19 Patients

He’s on the team intubating patients in Bend. This is what he wants you to know.
Laurel Brauns

David Hilderbrand is a registered nurse who usually works in the operating room at St. Charles Bend. He serves on the board of the Oregon Nurses Association as a negotiating chair for nurses who work for St. Charles Bend. When the hospital shut down elective surgeries in the beginning of March, Hilderbrand moved to the […]

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Property Managers and COVID-19

Why using a property manager is crucial during a crisis
Christin Hunter

In recent weeks, life as we know it has changed. In fact, the word change is rather an understatement. For the first time in nearly 100 years in the United States, businesses have shuttered, schools are closed, the streets of cities are barren and our country is coping with one of the worst biological outbreaks […]

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Are We Flattening the Curve?

When will quarantine end? What’s with the under-testing? And other questions for Deschutes County’s health services director
Laurel Brauns

The health services director for Deschutes County,  Dr. George Conway, spent some time with me this afternoon. Conway has been the head of the local public health response to COVID-19. We discussed progress on testing, the effectiveness of social distancing and the  big question everyone wants to know: the timeline for returning to “normal.” The […]

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For Seniors, Isolation and Health Risks Can Hit Hard

Hotlines, meal delivery and social support: How organizations in Central Oregon are reaching out to older people
Laurel Brauns

For older people living alone in Central Oregon, social distancing is both necessary and dangerous. People over 65 are considered at the highest risk of hospitalization and are more likely to die from COVID-19. Following strict social-distancing guidelines could be a life-saver. But if they do become infected, live by themselves and experience respiratory failure, calling […]

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Why Can’t I Get Tested?

A Bend woman shares her saga of trying to get a coronavirus test in Central Oregon
Laurel Brauns

Nicole Moore has been sick with symptoms associated with the novel coronavirus for two and a half weeks. She’s requested COVID-19 tests from three separate physicians, and has been told three times that she can’t be tested because she isn’t over 65 years old and doesn’t have a compromised immune system. Moore reached out to […]

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Bend is Awesome. Don’t Come Here.

In an city dominated by tourism, Bend’s city manager makes an order aimed at keeping visitors away
Laurel Brauns

Eric King, Bend City manager released an order Friday, “discouraging tourist travel” through the end of April. It doesn’t outright outlaw it, however, nor does it pose any fines for violations, nor demand cancellations for current bookings. But for some locals, it’s just the type of direction around outside visitors that they’ve been looking for […]

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The (Other) Unsung Heroes

A Bend grocery store employee weighs in on her personal experiences with the COVID-19 feeding frenzy
Avatar photo Cayla Clark

While the vast majority of us are exercising our privilege to hunker down in the safety of our own homes while bingeing Netflix and eating excessive amounts of Top Ramen, grocery store employees continue going to work every day, essentially putting their lives at risk in order to keep up safe and stocked up. Some […]

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Ripple Effect

How bad are things looking for the local economy? Central Oregon’s economic expert weighs in
Laurel Brauns

Social distancing has devastated the restaurant and tourism industry, but other sectors are feeling the heat, too. In a virtual meeting with 800 attendees this afternoon, Damon Runberg, a state economist with the Oregon Employment Department, described the potential impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on the local economy. “This is a human health crisis,” Runberg said. […]

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“Help Is On The Way”

$2 trillion federal stimulus will likely pass, including at least $1200 for everyone who filed taxes in ’18 or ’19
Laurel Brauns

The largest economic aid package in American history is expected to pass within days, following compromises from both sides of the aisle in Washington, D.C. According to Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley—who hosted a virtual press conference from Washington, D.C. with Oregon reporters this afternoon—Oregon will receive up to $1.5 billion in stabilization funds, of […]

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Asian in the Age of Coronavirus

Coronavirus affects local Asian Americans in more ways than one
Miina McCown

As COVID-19 continues to affect Central Oregon, we’re experiencing a number of growing struggles, including shortages in toilet paper, masks, test kits, Lysol and other supplies.  Also add rice to that list.   Rice is increasingly becoming unavailable in grocery stores all around Central Oregon, and is even sold out on online Asian grocery stores.  Since […]

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