[PLUG-TALK] Covid-19 ... [2]

[Paul Heinlein]

On Thu, 4 Mar 2021, Denis Heidtmann wrote:

> Someone I know went from Portland to Lincoln City to get his shot, 
> since he was told that people in Lincoln City are not eager to get 
> the vaccine. They have lots of openings.

Before anyone dismisses this as partisan political posturing, it's 
worth remembering that Lincoln County is one of the poorest counties 
in Oregon, with a poverty rate near 20%. The school district there 
deals with double-digit homeless rate among its students. Its 
wealthier residents tend to travel to Portland or other Willamette 
Valley cities for medical care. The hospitals in Lincoln City and 
Newport are very small and have limited outreach to the community.

In other words, a large percentage of Lincoln County's population has 
little interaction with the medical community; poverty and transiency 
have that effect.

The county may lean conservative, and I would not be surprised that 
plays a role, but I guess I worry about knee-jerk condescension 
becoming part of the discussion.

-- 
Paul Heinlein
heinlein at madboa.com
45°38' N, 122°6' W