Hospitals opening up
Governor Brown announced, in what appears to be the first COVID-19 related restriction set be lifted, that nonemergency medical procedures can take place again on May 1. The governor with the Oregon Health Authority laid out criteria for hospitals that included hospitals in the region must keep 20% hospital bed availability in case of a surge of COVID-19.
The Oreon Nurses Association put out a statement in response to Brown. They are concerned that hospitals are not disclosing how much personal protective equipment (PPE) is available to workers and that and that Brown’s order allows for the extended use and reuse of PPE.
U of O seeks to open up campus for the Fall
President Michael Schill announced on Monday that the University of Oregon plans to hold classes on campus this fall. Previously the university announced all summer classes will be held online and students are into week five of distant learning for spring term.
The university has extend the renewal deadline for career instructor contracts to May 8. United Academics says it is in talks with the university to end bargaining for a new collective bargaining agreement, which they suspended on March 11, but is bargaining for extending contracts of career instructors.
Local links
Cascadia Wildlands organizer Samantha Krop suggests we should take a look at changing our destructive practices such as clearcutting while we are considering what is essential in this time.
U of O sociology Professor Eileen Otis says we should be more precise with our words and stop calling it “social distancing”.
“The CDC recommends against clearing homeless camps. So why is Eugene still doing it?”
Tess Riski reports for Willamette Weekly on how Oregon hospitals are relying on prisoners, that are paid roughly 60 cents/hour, to clean linen.
Lane County Government reverses course on plan to house homeless with COVID-19 in hotels, instead partners with Sponsors for tiny homes.
The week ahead
Friday, 11:30 AM— Digital May Day Rally/Manifestación Digital del 1 de mayo
Saturday, 2 PM — Radical Reading Online: Abolish Whiteness