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Friends and Neighbors,

As the new season begins to roll in, it’s more than just the weather changing. This month brings the beginning of Oregon’s redistricting process, setting the electoral boundaries for the next 10 years, and students across the state are going back to a much-anticipated school year. We are also facing a changed COVID virus with the Delta variant, twice as contagious as previous variants, being the dominant strain in Oregon. This changing virus means we still have work to do which is not what we want to hear after such a long and difficult struggle. There is no doubt in my mind: we are tired from this fight. Yet it is important that we continue to thoughtfully educate people about the vaccine, as unvaccinated people are the most likely to get sick and end up in the hospital from this virus. We must also continue to wash our hands, wear our masks, and distance ourselves. These precautions stop the Delta variant and will help stop the surge from further burdening our state and our healthcare
workers as we continue to work towards herd immunity.

Our healthcare workers have been working tirelessly to provide care amid the trauma of this pandemic. This is not entirely new-- our healthcare workers, and particularly our nurses, have always been on the frontlines of tragedies throughout history.

I was particularly reminded of the legacy of our nurses this week, when I admitted a new patient to my panel. She is 102. This woman graduated with a degree in nursing in 1941 and went on to be a lieutenant in the navy. Her daughter spent her career working in the OHSU Emergency Room until retiring. Her granddaughter is currently a nurse educator at a local hospital. Her family has donated to PCC supporting a scholarship in my patient's name for nursing students in need of financial assistance.

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As I listened to her stories of wartime nursing and a lifetime of caring for others, I couldn’t help but reflect on my stories. Coming from a home without the money to pay for my higher education, at 17 years old I took out loans and worked 3 jobs to attend school. I’ve worked in many medical settings: as a certified nursing assistant, as a registered nurse working on units in hospitals including emergency rooms, and intensive care units and now as a family nurse practitioner caring for homebound and seriously ill patients. Taking out over $100,000 in loans and working 3 jobs should not be a prerequisite to serving communities - especially when we need to grow and support our workforce.

I, along with many nurses, have spent our careers caring for patients when they are in need of the most help. The COVID-19 pandemic has been traumatic, exhausting, and seemingly endless. It has demanded so much from our healthcare workers. (Oregonian video) Nurses, in particular, have been leaving the profession, which is why I have convened a work group to address our current nursing crisis.

We are looking towards addressing nursing burnout, our education bottleneck where a lack of educators means too many students can’t get into nursing school, and other systemic issues like workforce distribution and lack of childcare. Ultimately we must include nurses in ALL decisions being made that impact nurses and patients.

I am grateful to people like my new patient and her family who are helping to dismantle the financial barriers to nursing education, and I look forward to re-thinking current policies and investing in support systems and infrastructure for our nursing staff, educators, and students.

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Please watch & share this video ([link removed]) with anyone that hasn’t been vaccinated yet. We have a common responsibility to protect each other. Your family & co-workers need you.

Redistricting

This year we receive 2020 Census data that will help the Legislature and the public determine how electoral districts are drawn and the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and Oregon State Legislature. Depending on how populations have grown or declined, some electoral districts will be redrawn.

Redistricted maps must reflect all of Oregon and be based in a public process that includes the voices of those who have historically been excluded, including low-income, rural, and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities. We need to focus on representation, the sacred principle of one person one vote, upholding the voting rights act and other legal requirements to ensure that Oregon’s new congressional and legislative lines reflect the diversity of communities of interest in our state.

From schools to healthcare, transportation lines, funding for housing and emergency support for issues like wildfires, redistricting determines how resources are allocated and to which communities based on representation. This is why it’s important that we receive as much public input and testimony as possible. We need to hear from you to make sure we’re keeping communities of interest together and ensure every person has fair representation.

The schedule for the September Redistricting Public Hearings that impact House District 37 are below. These meetings will be held virtually and organized to hear from residents of each current congressional district. You can find your congressional district here ([link removed]) by entering your address in the top-right corner and clicking the “congress” tab.

Wednesday, September 8:
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (residents of Congressional District 1)

Thursday, September 9:
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (residents of Congressional District 5)
5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (residents of Congressional District 1)

Monday, September 13:
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (residents of Congressional District 5)
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (open to residents of any district)
5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (open to residents of any district)

Finally, this Friday, September 3, the Redistricting Committees will release draft Legislative and Congressional maps to the public during a joint meeting. You can find information about that meeting here ([link removed]) and watch it live at 8:00 a.m.



** Back to School
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For the first time in over a year, students are returning to full-time, in-person school, and I want to take a moment to celebrate and acknowledge the work of our teachers, school and district staff, and parents. I am grateful for the work they have done to create a safe environment for our students.

While this transition is a joyful one it is also frightening for some. The Governor has required all eligible teachers and school staff to be vaccinated by October 18th, and OHA has updated its mask rule. The rule requires all individuals 5 years of age and older to wear a face covering while indoors in a K-12 school, during school hours. These measures are meant to prevent outbreaks among students, staff, and families and help keep our community protected.

If you have a student in the West Linn / Wilsonville school district you can get information on keeping your student safe here. ([link removed])

If you have a student in the Tigard / Tualatin school district you can get information on keeping your student safe here. ([link removed])

Get Vaccinated

The highly contagious Delta variant continues to fill hospitals across Oregon with record levels of COVID-19 patients. Every hospital region and their staff are experiencing capacity strains and shortages. The Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 Weekly Report, ([link removed]) released yesterday, shows the continued increase in daily cases and hospitalizations.
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The COVID-19 vaccine reduces the severity of symptoms, with fewer than 1% of vaccinated Oregonians having died from complications related to COVID-19.

Vaccines work. Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is safe and free. It is the most effective way to protect yourself from severe illness or death, and to protect yourself from giving the dangerous disease to someone you love, someone you are serving in the capacity of your work, or someone in your community. If you are not yet vaccinated, I encourage you to reach out to your primary care provider to discuss how the COVID vaccine could fit into your personal healthcare plan. Speak with your provider about any concerns or questions you may have about the safety and efficacy of the COVID vaccines, and the risks of being infected with the coronavirus if you’re not vaccinated. The Pfizer vaccine was approved by the FDA ([link removed]) in August for individuals 16 and older.

I recommend contacting your primary care provider or looking here ([link removed]) for vaccine information. You can find a vaccine near you by going to Oregon’s vaccine finder located here ([link removed]) .

Please email me (mailto:[email protected]) if you have specific concerns. Our office will do all we can to help and protect all Oregonians.

It is an honor to continue to serve my community. Please have a safe and happy Labor Day.

Sincerely,
Rachel Prusak

Covid-19 Resources:
Oregon Information and Resources ([link removed])
Oregon Health Authority Updates ([link removed])
Federal Government Response ([link removed])
Senator Merkley’s Response Page ([link removed])
SEIU Worker Resource Page ([link removed])
Oregon Unemployment ([link removed])


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