Cabin-Fever Oregonians head to the Beach, March 24

Was it Cabin Fever or the beginning of Spring Break? No matter what the reason, many Oregonians left the Willamette Valley this past weekend and went to the Coast to enjoy sunny, nice weather. That was despite Governor Kate Brown’s plea for them to stay home as a way of fighting the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. Reports along the Coast show many beach residents were upset that the visitors had put them at risk. A retail store manager on the Central Coast reportedly had an angered customer, who was asked to follow some healthy guidelines, grab him by the shirt and coughed all over him while cussing at him that he was healthy. Coastal Communities also responded to the unexpected influx. The City of Warrenton gave visitors 24-hours to leave town and they closed their campgrounds. Tillamook County shut down all access to state and local parks. Clatsop Co. Commissioners ordered all lodging, hotels, short-term rentals and campgrounds in Seaside closed. Manzanita served visitors with eviction notices. There have been no reports of the COVID-19 virus on the Oregon Coast.