How do you write about Bend in the middle of a pandemic and a quarantine that no one adheres to?
I’ve let this blog lapse over the past months because as the COVID-19 pandemic has gone on unabated, on top of the protests and struggle for racial equality, massive wildfires and smoke, and everything else 2020 has piled on us, it’s increasingly difficult to go about business as normal when in fact it isn’t, and many of us are living under a shadow of foreboding and dread mixed with low-grade depression leaving us restless, anxious, and exhausted.
But, in terms of writing about Bend, COVID-19 is the big one. How do you write about Bend in the middle of a pandemic and a quarantine that no one adheres to? Seriously, I’ve been working from home since March, and sticking to the quarantine mindset, not dining out, not going to pubs, not attending social functions, only going out for essentials like groceries, or to pick up food to-go for the occasional “special” meal. Wearing a mask everywhere. And frustratingly there are so many people that won’t do this, and the pandemic just continues to grow.
Tourism and the local tourism industry is a huge part of the problem. The City Council has repeatedly issued administrative orders discouraging tourist and recreational travel to Bend, the most recent which extended the order through October 26. Even the Governor has been pleaded with Oregonians not to travel. The problem is, who’s paying attention to it?
The answer, based on the number of the seemingly record number of out-of-state cars we’ve seen, is apparently nobody. Seriously, it’s getting ridiculous, there simply should not be tourists coming here—COVID-19 is no joke and yet it appears people either don’t understand or don’t care that we’re never going to get it under control because of their selfish actions.
So yeah, not really blogging here because I don’t want to contribute to the issues when in fact everyone should be staying home as much as possible and wearing masks religiously when out in public. It’s just too hard to find the energy to write about Bend in a pandemic-responsible way that isn’t hypocritical, or angry.
Sooooo… Suggestions? Discussion? I’ll try to blog about the important stuff but not on events or touristy-type things. Prepare for a bunch of editorial and political posts since the election’s coming up and we have some races going on. Maybe some food truck notes (you know, where you can safely order and take food home). Generally, covid-responsible content. But I just can’t endorse or encourage the at-risk stuff.
Addendum: It’s not just the tourists, of course; there are plenty of locals who seem to be just as guilty, whether it’s not wearing masks at all (or properly), gathering indoors, and so on. And plenty of locals are being tourists themselves, traveling against the recommendations. Look, if we don’t want the tourists coming here and spreading covid, then why on earth would you go elsewhere and do the same? It’s hypocritical. Everyone needs to do their part.
I agree with your commentary, and share your disbelief. Topic suggestions: events which can be enjoyed online (local musicians doing online shows, online trivia hosted by locals), restaurants doing special take-out only menus (Bos Taurus offered some amazing fried chicken this spring), reviews of various food delivery services (DoorDash, Bend TakeOut, UberEats, etc.), reviews of grocery store curbside pickup services (I swear by Food4less and Newport Market curbside, although mistakes still get made at both).
Thank you, those a good ideas!
the proof is in the pudding. this virus is spread through close proximity and cohabitation in crowded conditions. check the news of the outbreak in Gallup New Mexico and compare it to Bend.
everyone i see in the stores is masked and there is essentially no coughing or sneezing to be heard.
outside, folks are distancing as much as possible. it’s a horrible malady to contract and requires a change in social habits to evade but we have not seen ANY contact contagion that is verifiable yet and all the macro precautions, closing large gatherings,
has certainly helped contain rampant spread, at the least.
the best way to get through this one is to stay outside as much as possible. it’s a virus of the warrens and dens.
don’t sit and stew if it’s sunny outside like a bat would do. you are not going to enter a virus cloud out in the breeze.
it may be that a lot of the past mass gatherings were stupid things to do, even pre-pandemic.
wading into a crowd of bellowing humans in a closed venue, what could go wrong? those days are over for a decade.
Depends on where you go. I will say, Costco, Whole Foods, Market of Choice, Food 4 Less, Newport Market all have good masking policies and seem to be doing a good job. Elsewhere I see groups of people without masks together when clearly they shouldn’t be. We’ve actively avoided food carts where the person isn’t wearing a mask or wearing it properly.
And to be clear, I hope nobody’s sitting in a dark room this entire time! Getting outside to go for walks, do yardwork, generally get air and sunshine away from people is key.
Thank you for writing this post and sharing the tweet about thinking you’ve hallucinated the pandemic. I’ll add my 2 cents to Liana and say that I’ve been quite happy with CE Lovejoy’s text-to-order and curbside pickup.
Nice!
… am agreement with your assessments. But if one considers the lack of Mayoral leadership from the earliest days … it should become obvious how we arrived at this point
The City Council definitely has its own issues that have become increasingly apparent over the past year or so, but the blame cannot fall squarely there. It’s a state- and nationwide attitude. Granted we’ve not been nearly as hard hit here in Oregon vs. many other states, but even so, it’s definitely a problem that spans leadership to societal levels.
It feels like we’ve struck a good balance here in Bend.
People are taking precautions, but we’re also living our lives. Outdoor gatherings and activities with some distancing are not driving infections. I avoid indoor gatherings and dining at indoor restaurants, and always wear a mask in stores as required. But I get together with friends a few times a week to ride bikes, hike, or even grab a beer at an outdoor pub making sure to keep distance. A few simple precautions, when followed by the majority of the community, seem to be working.
If we compare the deaths and cases in Deschutes to similar sized counties in other states, such as Canyon County in Idaho, we are doing VERY well with about 1/10th the numbers. Keep up the good work, Bend!
To the author of this article, why are you angry when this area is doing so well? Or what am I missing that makes you believe we are not doing well?
Numbers are still rising, people are still dying. Schools are still closed, businesses are hurting, the economy is cratered. Sure, Bend is doing “well” compared to other areas of the country, but while cases are still going up, I wouldn’t say precautions are working. If they were working, they’d be going the opposite direction and we’d be able to go into grocery stores again without wearing masks (for instance). But there was just (another) story in yesterday’s news about a local restaurant cited for not wearing masks for following proper protocols.
It’s not just our local area, I’m mad about how this country as a whole has mishandled this pandemic and that there are still people out there who don’t take it seriously or refuse to believe it affects them. But locally? I have friends and family members who are in a high risk health category so even “only” a dozen new cases a day is too many.
If you’re following the guidelines and be safe and careful, great, that’s excellent and I wish more people would follow your example. But when I’m out and I see at least 50% of the people in public gathered and not adhering to that, and every day we have more cases, I just don’t see an end to this pandemic.
I’d say people are doing pretty well, and this is reflected in Oregon’s very low Covid death rate compared to other states. You do see groups of people maskless, and while potentially risky, they are also likely to be part of a isolated social circle, which is what we need to be doing now. I check the St. Charles Covid page often that puts out how many Covid patients they have, and how many of those are in ICU. It’s often around 5 total, with zero or one in ICU.
what is your take on the recent rise and the # of people hospitalized @ SCH