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Hello Friends and Neighbors,

Memorial Day is a time for Americans to gather as one and say, “We will never forget.” A time to observe the sacrifice of those who did not hesitate to protect the freedoms we all hold dear.

I am proud to say I come from a family that counts many generations who have served in the armed forces during crucial moments in our history, some of whom are laid to rest in Arlington.

As a nurse practitioner I have the opportunity to serve many veterans. One of my patients was at this very event last year. Recently at the Tualatin VFW we celebrated not only his 3 decades of service in the US Navy and his purple heart award, but also his 100th birthday! Despite his dementia he still tells the story of helping to save the battleship USS North Carolina during WWII after it was struck by a torpedo. Caring for him and other veterans is truly a humbling experience.

On Memorial Days past, I would typically attend an event honoring those who have served and gave their lives for our country. This year, unprecedented times and the cancellation of events have interrupted that tradition. Despite my inability to honor in-person those brave Americans who died for our country, I am still thinking of Americans, Oregonians, and my community members.

As I read the Sunday Oregonian and NY times, I realize I can best honor those who died serving and protecting our country by doing my part to protect others. The men and women we honor on Memorial Day gave their lives for the best of what America has to offer and we owe it to them to continue to protect our country - and each other.

With US COVID-19 deaths nearing 100,000, and communities across our state reopening, there is a collective breath holding as we wait to see any signs of a virus resurgence in Oregon. There has been a lot of talk about wearing masks and as a nurse practitioner I think it is important to talk about why we’re wearing them.

If you feel confused about whether people should wear masks, why, and what kind, you’re not alone. COVID-19 is a novel, or new, disease and we’re learning things about it every day. However, much of the confusion around masks stems from the conflation of two very different functions of masks. They can be worn to protect the wearer from getting infected AND they can be worn to prevent transmission to others, which is their most important use in communities.

A key transmission route of COVID-19 is via droplets that fly out of our mouths—that includes when we speak, not just when we cough or sneeze. Those who wear masks are saying I care about everyone who comes near me, I want to be safe and I want you to be safe too.

From an economical sense, if we lower the likelihood of one person infecting another, the impact is exponential, so even a small reduction in those odds results in a huge decrease in cases. In turn, our small businesses can reopen and stay open. Our essential workers will be protected when we are near them. Our hospital systems won’t become overburdened, forcing us to stay home again.

When considering what we owe each other and what we owe the men and women who gave their lives for fellow Americans, the calculations are not as easy to measure. I believe calling on people to wear masks is a small request when compared to lives lost. On this Memorial Day. I honor, respect, and show gratitude for those who have fought for this country by wearing a mask in public. I ask that you join me.

Do you have questions about wearing a mask yourself? You’re not alone! Watch the video for tips from a nurse practitioner (Me) on how to properly wear a mask to keep our whole community safer.
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Tualatin's annual Memorial Day Commemoration at Winona Cemetery, 2019.

Clackamas County Re-opens

The Clackamas County ([link removed]) area of HD 37 has reopened and has entered PHASE 1. Please support your local community and continue to be safe. While Oregonians have worked hard to stay home and save lives with 147 deaths, the death toll in America from coronavirus has reached 93,062 & counting.

As we proceed with phase 1, please honor distancing rules, wash hands, and wear a face mask when required and where appropriate so we protect those at high risk of illness.

Going backward right now would cripple our economy, overwhelm our healthcare system, and put our frontline workers at risk. Please adhere to recommended guidelines so we make it to phase 2 and continue to save lives. As soon as we hear about reopening of the Washington County areas of HD 37, I'll let you know.
For full guidelines on what Phase 1 entails, visit the Governor’s site here. ([link removed])

Please email me (http:// [email protected]) if you have specific concerns. Our office is doing all we can to help and protect all Oregonians.

To subscribe or read past newsletters, you can go here ([link removed]) .

For up-to-date Covid 19 information from the Oregon Health Authority, please check this link ([link removed])

Governor Brown’s COVID-19 Resource page ([link removed]) .

And if you want to follow up-to-date statistics from the Oregon Health Authority for case counts, testing counts, breakdowns by geography, demographic, and hospitalization information go here ([link removed]) . Under the first dropdown, “COVID-19 Cases in Oregon” there is a daily update with more information, linked just below the total test results.

Thank you for reading! We will get through this together.


Sincerely,

Rachel Prusak

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Rachel for State Representative . 1980 willamette falls drive . Suite #120 - PMB#135 . West Linn, Or 97068 . USA