Hospitals back, business group critical of new COVID-19 rules; grocers say don’t panic
(Update: Adding Oregon Beverage Alliance statement)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Here are statements from the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, National Federation of Independent Business-Oregon and Northwest Grocery Association, reacting to Gov. Kate Brown's two-week "freeze" and new business restrictions to curb a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases.
Oregon Hospitals Voice Support for New COVID-19 Prevention Measures
With cases soaring, two-week freeze is necessary to preserve hospital capacity
Lake Oswego, Ore. – November 13, 2020 -- Becky Hultberg, President and CEO of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, released the following statement on the Governor’s two-week freeze.
“Community hospitals across Oregon have stepped up during the pandemic, and front-line health care workers have worked tirelessly to care for those who have fallen ill. With COVID-19 cases soaring across the state, it is imperative that we act now to preserve hospital capacity.
"We support the Governor’s two-week freeze on social gatherings and the three-state travel advisory announced by Oregon, Washington, and California.
"If we are not able to slow the spread of COVID-19 now, hospital capacity for all Oregonians could be threatened as COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to grow, jeopardizing the availability of care for us all. Cancer patients need treatments; those with injuries need physical rehabilitation; those in chronic pain need surgery.
"We urge the public to follow these new guidelines. We know it’s hard, eight months into the pandemic, to limit where we go and how we interact with friends and family. But these steps – combined with social distancing, hand washing, and face coverings when you must leave your home – are essential steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and bring it under control so we can bring normalcy back into our lives.”
Reaction to Gov. Brown’s Restrictions Order Today
Unfairly forcing law abiders to further face closing their businesses is not the way to go
SALEM, Ore., Nov. 13, 2020—From Anthony Smith, Oregon state director for NFIB, the state’s largest small-business association.
“It’s frustrating that while the governor and state agencies have identified informal social gatherings as the primary driver of recent COVID-19 case increases in Oregon, these new restrictions are again targeting businesses.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, the overwhelming majority of businesses have done everything asked of them in order to keep their employees and customers safe, which is why ‘workplace outbreaks’ at businesses that were previously required to shut down account for a very low number of the state’s total positive cases.
“It simply doesn’t make any sense to impose further restrictions on businesses that provide safer, regulated spaces for Oregonians to engage in economic and social activities in masked and socially distanced atmospheres.
“This approach will only prompt more Oregonians to seek out the same informal social gatherings that are driving the recent spread of the virus.
“One in five NFIB members are telling us that they will only be able to continue operating for a maximum of six months under current economic conditions. Another 19% are saying 12 months. In total, that’s nearly 40% of small businesses that are looking at a permanent closure within the year. If economic conditions worsen, the timeline will likely shorten.”
Keep up with the latest Oregon small-business news at www.nfib.com/oregon and follow us on Twitter at @NFIB_OR
Northwest Grocers Call on Public to Shop Responsibly and Wear Your Mask!
Portland – In response to Governor Brown’s two-week shut-down order today the Northwest Grocery Association urges Oregonians not to panic in their purchasing habits. Oregon grocers will continue to meet the demand and need of Oregon consumers.
Depending on your local grocer, this may include proactive purchase limits on certain products. “We are seeing little evidence of the need to stockpile. Our supply chains remain strong. We urge Oregon consumers to be patient with each other and our grocers as limits are enforced, if necessary, to help prevent stock-piling or hoarding,” said Amanda Dalton with the Northwest Grocery Association.
Dalton continued, “We understand that when case counts increase, so does anxiety. We are encouraging customers to purchase only what they need and leave the rest for their neighbors and friends.”
Since the beginning of the COVID crisis, grocery stores and their store teams have put in extraordinary effort to meet the needs of the local community. This has required extensive safety measures in all stores to safeguard the employees, customers and supply chains, ensuring stores are open, cleaned regularly and stocked for customers.
In every decision they have made, they have strived to balance the most urgent mission – to continue to meet the immediate and most essential needs of the public – while ensuring the safety of their employees and customers.
“We can’t stress enough the need to wear a mask at all times outside of the home. Our store employees have been doing this for months and know that when they wear masks for an entire day’s work, they are protecting themselves, their co-workers and their community, and need the same consideration from all customers,” said Dalton.
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ABOUT NWGA: The Northwest Grocery Association is the leading voice for the Pacific Northwest’s grocery industry in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The Association represents retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and suppliers that support the Pacific Northwest’s grocery industry.
Following Governor Brown's announcement about bar and restaurant closures today, the Oregon Beverage Alliance released the following statement:
“Earlier this spring, when brewpubs, tasting rooms, restaurants and bars were ordered by the state of Oregon to close, overnight our business models were destroyed. Another weeks-long closure adds insult to injury.
“Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Oregon was home to 400 breweries, 900 wineries, 1,200 vineyards, 60 cideries, more than 50 distilleries, 73 distributors, 10,000 restaurants and 37,200 farms, creating thousands of good-paying jobs and several billion dollars in wages. Many of those jobs are now at risk or have been lost.
“The state’s own Economic and Revenue Forecast showed the hospitality sector has been hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. The report states demand and revenue for Oregon’s restaurants and bars are down 56% and the leisure and hospitality sector will have lost 53,000 jobs in 2020 — a 44% decrease — far more than any other sector.
“Beer, wine, cider and spirits are an essential part of Oregon’s economy and identity. In order to survive, Oregon’s breweries, wineries, cideries, restaurants and bars need the support of our elected officials. As our businesses face these brutal realities, we hope the governor and state legislators will resist any attempt to add to the misery by saddling us with cumbersome new taxes. That's the last thing our homegrown businesses need right now. We remain committed to working together to help rebuild our economy and communities once the public health crisis ends.”
