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Friends and Neighbors,
The statement below is written with pure honesty and emotion, by a friend and healthcare worker, Karen Reynolds. A SHEro in my eyes. ❤ I asked her if I could share this with you all. Our healthcare workers are stretched to their brink, their health is at risk and their lives are on the line. Please, do your part. Wear a mask, wash your hands and keep your distance. Please read. 🩺
We sounded the alarm early. We tried to educate, offered concern, beg for plans and back up plans. We have watched countless patients experience, recover and die from covid. We have canceled vacations, get togethers and watch our kids graduate from cars. We have tried to protect our ageing, our immune compromised. We were celebrated for a few weeks. Then the tides turned. Others didn't want to wait on life from the comfort of their homes. Small business took a hit as did the workers who keep our country running. We became the enemy. Many don't want to listen to science, they pull pieces out of stay at home orders as it serves them. We are breaking, I have never been so tired. The most resilient of workers come home from long exhausting shifts unable to be part of the family because there is absolutely nothing left. We start habits to just to get some sleep . We have changed , we stay away from family and friends.Suicide is up among healthcare workers . We watch the news and the numbers and the holiday travel and the get togethers. We see local officials who talk the talk but don't walk the walk. Although its our profound honor to care for sick its possible this job has asked to much. We are breaking.
-Karen Reynolds, Oregon Healthcare provider
Providence in Portland to set up surge tents, temporary morgues
This week, Oregon hit another unfortunate milestone with a record-high 36 deaths in one day, only four days after Oregon reached 1,000 total deaths late last week.
- Friday, December 4: 2,176 cases, 30 deaths
- Saturday, December 5: 1,847 cases, 24 deaths
- Sunday, December 6: 1,290 cases, 6 deaths
- Monday, December 7: 1,331 cases, 12 deaths
- Tuesday, December 8: 1,341 cases, 36 deaths
- Wednesday, December 9: 1,243 cases, 30 deaths
- Thursday, December 10: 1,586 cases, 13 deaths
Oregon Health Authority Updates
Vaccination Gives Us Hope the Pandemic Will End
From the Oregon Health Authority
Tuesday, the first COVID-19 vaccine was given to a 90-year-old grandmother in the United Kingdom. The vaccine, which was produced by Pfizer, was recently approved for use in the U.K.
The first shipment of vaccines are due to arrive in Oregon around Dec. 15 and will be distributed according to Oregon’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan: http://ow.ly/onqU50CH6nZ. Since the vaccine will take time to be distributed widely, it’s important to continue taking safety measures to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Keep informed with OHA’s vaccine update pages in English: http://ow.ly/fFxy50CH6nX and Spanish: http://ow.ly/rZs950CH6nY
 Weekly COVID-19 Report
From the Oregon Health Authority
Our COVID-19 weekly report, released Wednedsay, set weekly highs for COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations for the third consecutive week: http://ow.ly/b0up50CHrCQ
We reported 10,355 new daily cases during the week of Monday, Nov. 30 through Sunday, Dec. 6, a 14% increase over the previous week and the seventh consecutive record high weekly case count. Hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 increased to 494, a 24% increase and an average of 70 per day.
There were 133 reported COVID-19 reported deaths, up from 86 the previous week and an average of 19 per day – the highest since the pandemic began.
People aged 20 to 49 have accounted for 55% of the cases, while people 70 and older have accounted for 76%of the deaths.
Finally, During the week of Nov. 29 to Dec. 5, the number of COVID-19 tests administered to Oregonians increased significantly to 170,964. The percentage of positive tests was 8.1%.
NOTE: Last week, we introduced new changes to the weekly report format. The most significant change is a separate report listing all active and resolved outbreaks in Oregon, which can be found here: http://ow.ly/s2tf50CHrCP This will be an ongoing format.
The second change centers around the reporting of COVID-19 cases by ZIP code. This will no longer be contained in the COVID-19 weekly report but will be available online: http://ow.ly/DDYM50CHrCR
 House District 30 High School Student Updates
Ishaan Sinha, a high school student intern in my office, has created an app that helps people with Parkinson's Disease and their speech volume. Congratulations to Ishaan on this wonderful achievement and please read his article below for more information.
Many people with Parkinson's Disease experience vocal disorders that greatly reduce how loud they can talk. This can negatively impact the person's social communications skills, which is detrimental to overall well-being and quality of life. Inspired to solve this problem, I set out to create a simple cost-free solution that anyone could use. By doing some background research, I discovered that there are devices that help with this problem; however, most of them were expensive and not easy to use. Conducting this Googling on a smartphone, I suddenly had an "Aha!" moment: why couldn't I create a smartphone app modeled after the preexisting devices?
The smartphone app, titled VolumeUp, monitors the user's sound levels when they are speaking. If they are speaking too quietly, then the phone will vibrate. This mechanism naturally makes the user talk louder. Some of the app's features include controlling the sound level threshold -- so that users themselves can determine what is too quiet -- and determining how strong the vibration feedback should be. Currently, I am adding more features to the app, and am planning to publish it on the Google Play Store for Android devices sometime soon. I hope that my app serves as a simple solution to a social problem.
-Ishaan Sinha, Glencoe High School 11th grade student
Lily Donis, and her brother Aiden, lit their family menorah last night for the first night of Hanukkah. Lily is a Junior at Liberty High School and is a high school intern in my office.
 Yvette, a Liberty High School freshmen is very excited about the new opportunity that she will have as one of the first students enrolled in the Hillsboro School District’s, Oregon Aerospace Careers for Everyone program at the Hillsboro Airport. As a member of the Hillsboro School District’s Career and College Pathways Steering Committee, on Wednesday I was able to virtually visit the new learning space for the program and hear from Yvette. There will be a full roster of students joining her, lead by teacher Sheri Fisher. Sheri is a bilingual licensed pilot who has been a teacher in the Hillsboro School District for nearly 20 years. #ProudToBeHSD
 Community Outreach
By Hilary Uhlig, Moms Demand Action, Oregon Lead
Today, December 11, marks 8 years since the Clackamas Town Center shooting in Oregon and next Monday, December 14th, marks 8 years since the Sandy Hook shooting. #Enough is a national project highlighting student-written plays about gun violence that will take place in 418 different locations across the country. Check out this local virtual production in Hillsboro, or follow the link to find a local event near you.
Virtual Community Conversation
In the News...
PGE, Daimler team up to build charging hub for electric trucks in Portland. (OPB) READ MORE
Washington County Sheriff’s Office hires firm to review use of force policies. (Pamplin) READ MORE
Additional Resources
House District 30 Links
Federal Delegation Links
Education Links
Utilities Assistance
Food and Housing Assistance
 My husband and I enjoyed a fun little boost to our holiday spirit at the Oregon Zoo this week. Please support our beautiful zoo and buy your tickets today. It took us about 45 minutes from when we arrived to the exit gate. Make some hot cocoa, buy an elephant ear, turn on the Christmas tunes and enjoy the ride! 🐘🐆🦒🐒 https://www.oregonzoo.org/visit/zoolights
Be good to yourself and each other. ❤
Onward & Upward,
 Capitol Phone: 503-986-1430
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-487, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/sollman
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