Coronavirus Mitigation: Close Oregon Schools

Immediate Action is required if we are to keep Oregon from following the same fate as Lombardy, Italy. A state of emergency is appropriate and Governor Kate Brown needs to take action to immediately close all Oregon Schools starting now or at the latest after spring break.

The editors of "The Oregonian" and 33 doctors have published recommendations in “The Oregonian” with immediate actions that Oregon School Districts and Kate Brown should adopt.

Please follow the advice of these Editors and 33 doctors immediately.

Increased mitigation is needed Immediately. PSU and other universities have closed or may close soon. Our public schools should also begin plans to close now or at the latest after spring break and implement remote learning.



The coronavirus is growing exponentially. On our current path Oregon is estimated to experience hospital overcapacity like in Italy within the next four weeks. Our hospital staff and society are in danger on our current path. Please listen to the doctors and scientists.

The Oregon Health Authority is misguiding Oregon.

The article, “Coronavirus: Why You Must Act Now” describes why we must enforce social distancing now. It describes the exponential nature of the spread of the disease and how quickly we can expect our hospitals to be overwhelmed.

As recommended by 33 doctors, Kate Brown should close schools and assemble a “Task Force ("1. The governor must establish and empower a full-time, multidisciplinary team of public health and medical experts to direct a coordinated statewide response"). Their recommendation, “Put public health over politics” is essential reading and is published in "The Oregonian." We should do as the 33 doctors suggest immediately.

Also, a must read is the Editorial piece by the editors of the Oregonian. (Editorial: Oregon’s mixed messages on its coronavirus emergency)

Below is the letter signed by 33 Oregon Doctors and their recommended immediate action:

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“Readers respond: Put public health over politics”

By Letters to the editor

"Oregon’s response to the coronavirus outbreak has been unsatisfactory and must shift focus immediately. Politics over science appears to have delayed our actions, leading to confusion, mistrust and increased public health risk.

We are physicians on the front lines. The public’s health must be prioritized, using science-based strategies to address this ever-increasing threat.

The following steps will help decrease morbidity and mortality:

1) The governor must establish and empower a full-time, multidisciplinary team of public health and medical experts to direct a coordinated statewide response.

2) A tactical, clear message must effectively disseminate across the state at least daily to front-line care providers.

3) Expansive, safely executed, reliable testing is needed immediately. We must be able to identify infected individuals to care for them and take steps to decrease risk to others.

4) Move to mitigation strategies as we cannot contain the infection. Events should be canceled, remote work options applied, schools closed, statewide support liberated forpaid sick leave for our vulnerable families, etc.

5) Health care workers are at high risk for infection and even death according to China’s experience. We immediately need sufficient and appropriate protective attire and comprehensive testing availability for all at-risk health care workers.

6) There will not be enough masks, mechanical ventilators and potentially other medical supplies to treat this infection. We need tactical and massive increased production of these resources. Temporary ventilators will be needed in the near future - we should contract with innovators to create these now.

Maxine Dexter, Smitha R. Chadaga and Rachel Rackow

Drs. Dexter, Chadaga and Rackow live in Portland. Dexter is also a candidate for House District 33. Thirty-three other physicians co-signed this letter.

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