To the editor:

In my May 15 letter to Yachats News I congratulated our community for practicing safe social distancing and doing our part to prevent spread of COVID-19. We happily experienced very low disease activity at that time.

Well, what a difference one month makes. As of last month Lincoln County tallied just six cases of COVID-19, and no hospitalizations. But as of Sunday, June 14, Lincoln County has racked up more than 200 COVID cases, and five hospitalizations. (No doubt those numbers will be higher as you read this letter.)

Lincoln County now has the unhappy distinction of the highest per capita rate of COVID-19 in Oregon. There are many reasons, including large workplace outbreaks, Memorial Day and summer tourism, demonstrations, and more testing. Regardless, it’s getting worse, not better.

And it’s disappointing to see slackening of safe practices. Wherever you go there are more crowds and fewer masks. Sure, people are tired of it, but fighting this epidemic is more important than ever now. And the disadvantaged — minorities, the poor, the elderly — will suffer the most, as usual.
Please use masks!
Please use distancing!
It’s not over. For us, it’s just begun!

— Dr. Tom Rafalski, Yachats