Defend Oregon’s Southern Border

Reality can be a hard pill to swallow, as is speaking the unspoken truth of it. If 2020 taught us anything, it is that desperate situations call for desperate measures.

Oregonians must recognize that a catastrophic threat exists at our southern border and it will for some time.

In February, when COVID-19 was ravaging Washington, I would commute 40 miles on I-5 to work. What struck me was how many vehicles brimming with personal belongings were driving south. It was evident there were more Washingtonians on the freeway than Oregonians. What this indicated was the fleeing into Oregon and California of those seeking safety and resources from the virus.

I recently returned from three weeks in California. I tested immediately before leaving, with results in six hours. What startled me was the widespread lack of wearing masks and social distancing. There was this dangerous, pervasive, devil-may-care attitude. It is axiomatic why every 10 minutes someone dies of COVID there. 

We need to protect Oregon by rigorously screening those coming from the south. Yes, establishing entry check-points assuring visitors and those relocating have proof they are COVID free, and such evidence must be within 72 hours (this includes truckers). It is ludicrous to believe people will self-quarantine for 10 or more days.

With the continual mutation of the virus that is increasingly more contagious, this is an absolute unpopular necessity if we are to safeguard our state. It won’t fully solve spreading but will help contain it. 

James Houston 

Eugene