A task force began work this week to help guide the county’s health, economic, and educational recovery from COVID-19.
The Umatilla County COVID-19 Response and Recovery Team includes Umatilla County, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), the cities of Pendleton, Hermiston, and Milton-Freewater, and leadership from the county’s school districts. The team’s goals are to identify and align local health metrics with state standards and create a unified campaign to return the county to a complete recovery.
By bringing together the resources of these entities across the county, the Response and Recovery Team will work to improve the long-term health of residents, support businesses through the reopening process, and restore school districts to full operation.
“The COVID-19 crisis that the entire country has been dealing with since March has taken a toll on our community health, economic output, and educational systems. This team will put the full weight of our resources county-wide into a singular recovery effort,” said Umatilla County Commissioner George Murdock. “We have seen steady improvements in the prevalence of the virus and are pleased to be returning to Phase 1, but recovery is a process. This team has committed to investing the time and energy it takes to return to good health and to stay there.”
The Response and Recovery Team will work with the Oregon Health Authority to determine a common set of metrics that will guide the reopening response. Regular updates will be shared through a website, e-mail newsletter, and the individual channels of the team members. An accompanying public awareness campaign will deliver messaging regarding goals and achievements.
“We’ve learned a lot about this virus, how it spreads, and how we can best protect our communities,” said Kathryn Brigham, CTUIR Board of Trustees Chair. “Our goal now is to use our collective knowledge and resources to empower residents to stay healthy as we work toward a full recovery.”
