Eric Cathey News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

One year ago, life in Oregon was normal. Kids went to school. Fans went to games. Masks weren’t a thing. That said, while none of us knew it, the virus that would soon upend our lives had arrived, and Oregon’s first patient was already feeling symptoms. The announcement came on the evening of Friday, Feb. 28, 2020: Oregon had its first confirmed case of COVID-19. The patient, an adult, worked at a local school. Word of mouth and journalists’ inquiries soon revealed it to be Forest Hills Elementary in Lake Oswego. Hazmat crews scrubbed the halls, while doctors and nurses at Kaiser Perman...

On Friday, Cathey received a COVID-19 vaccine, then spoke with Oregon Gov. Kate Brown via Zoom. Cathey told the governor he wishes the public could see the devastating impact of this virus first-hand, but patient privacy laws or HIPPA prevents that. “I wish HIPPA wasn’t a thing so we could just walk and show people exactly what is going on in these units and how wild and crazy and scary it is to see just how sick people are,” explained Cathey. Oregon has little margin for error, with the fewest hospital beds per capita in the country. Health officials emphasize, it’s not just hospital...