Pool photo / Courtesy of UW Medicine
The initial deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines to Oregon, Washington state and Idaho are spoken for at least well into next month. High-risk health care workers, EMT/paramedics and nursing homes have top priority to get the vaccine jab. But then who?
Outgoing Washington Secretary of Health John Wiesman said many, many industry groups sent him emails to make their case. Likewise, the Oregon Health Authority reported getting lots of entreaties from industry, labor unions, interest groups and other entities. We feel torn, Wiesman said during a briefing last week. There is limited vaccine and we need to do the best decision making we can with the data we have and the values that are out there in terms of trying to share equitable access.
The first shipment of COVID vaccines arriving at the UW Medical Center in Seattle on December 14, 2020. Credit: Courtesy of UW Medicine
Teachers, grocery workers, prison guards, and oldest Americans may be next in line for Covid vaccine Dec 22, 2020
The initial deliveries of Covid-19 vaccines to Oregon, Washington state and Idaho are spoken for â at least well into next month. High-risk health care workers, EMT/paramedics and nursing homes have top priority to get the vaccine jab. But then who?
Outgoing Washington Secretary of Health John Wiesman said many, many industry groups sent him emails to make their case. Likewise, the Oregon Health Authority reported getting lots of entreaties from industry, labor unions, interest groups and other entities.
The latest round of restaurant restrictions have proven too much for one small Richland business.
Kagen Coffee & Crepes in the Uptown Shopping Center is closing its doors â at least for now. Owner Kagen Cox said they will reevaluate next month.
âWe donât have the ability or resources for big tent dining,â Cox told the Herald.
âBecause we are a destination location, our sales are down nearly 80 percent, but our food costs â food also being disposables and to go containers â have tripled,â he said.
Heâs not alone in the struggle.
In Benton and Franklin counties, 40 restaurants have permanently closed since March, according to the Washington Hospitality Association.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsÂ
reports that Washington has seen 27% of its businesses close their doors at least temporarily as an untold number could close for good. Just 53% of businesses statewide received a loan or grant to make payroll, the agency reports.
Only Puerto Rico (50%),
Michigan (32%), Pennsylvania (30%), ranked higher than Washington for the percentage of businesses closed.
Nationally, government shutdowns closed 19% of businesses for some period of time nationwide from July 20 to September 30.Â
It s been nine months since Gov. Jay Inslee issued a stay at home order in March shutting down millions of non-essential workplaces statewide.
Few industries have been hit as hard as the food service and restaurant industry which still
COVID-19 Sends McMenamins to the Brink; Company Pleads for Easing of Dining Restrictions chronline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chronline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.