July 21, 2020
The Department of Human Services has announced that Oregon’s licensed long-term care providers may begin providing limited outdoor visitation for residents if the facility develops a plan to adhere to required safeguards to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Following the safety prerequisites – including health screenings, face coverings, physical distancing and limits on the number of visitors ̶ is mandatory as Oregon continues to experience an increase in outbreaks at long-term care facilities.
While visits with family and friends are essential to well-being, they also create significant risk, not only for the individual who is seeing a loved one, but for everyone who lives and works in that care facility. The Department of Human Services outdoor visitation policy applies to all facilities licensed by the Office of Aging and People with Disabilities including nursing, assisted living, residential and memory care facilities as well as all adult foster homes.
Facilities that are currently coping with COVID-19 cases or suspected cases may not offer outside visitation until DHS determines that the outbreak has resolved.
All current indoor visitation restrictions issued in March remain in place regardless of the reopening plan status of the county where the facility is located; however, residents are free to leave and return to their facility if following all public health guidance.
Resources:
- For more information on DHS requirements for facilities providing outdoor visitation, see a copy of the policy here.
- Visit this DHS webpage for lists of facilities reporting cases of COVID-19 that would not be able to adopt outside visitation. These lists are updated on Tuesday and Friday.
- Long-term care providers, residents and family members with questions should reach out to: SOQ.LTCInfo@dhsoha.state.or.us.
It’s been an unusual summer, to say the least. With many summer activities rescheduled or canceled and the uncertainty of how school will operate in the fall, children may be experiencing stress. Children often react to stressful events differently than adults. How the child in your life reacts will vary by age, their previous experiences and how they typically cope with stress. The graphic below shares signs of stress that you can watch for in preschool- and elementary-age children and how to help them.
Teens who want someone to talk to can check out the Oregon YouthLine by calling 877-968-8491, texting teen2teen to 839863, emailing Teen2Teen@LinesforLife.org or by chat at oregonyouthline.org. Teens are available to help daily from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Pacific Time, and adults are available by phone all other times.
You can find resources and learn more about how to support children of all ages by visiting CDC’s Helping Children Cope website or the national Child Traumatic Stress Network’s (NCTSN) Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope.
An outbreak of 23 cases of COVID-19 has been reported at Walmart Distribution Center in Umatilla County. The case count includes all persons linked to the outbreak, which may include household members and other close contacts to an employee. The investigation started on June 30, but the initial case count was below the threshold for public disclosure. State and county public health officials are working together to address the outbreak and protect the health of workers.
COVID-19 has claimed seven more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 269, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
Oregon Health Authority reported 299 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 15,139.
The new cases are in the following counties: Baker (2), Benton (1), Clackamas (15), Clatsop (3), Columbia (1), Coos (1), Deschutes (7), Douglas (3), Harney (2), Hood River (4), Jackson (5), Jefferson (8), Josephine (2), Klamath (1), Lake (1), Lane (3), Malheur (18), Marion (40), Morrow (10), Multnomah (67), Polk (3), Umatilla (59), Union (2), Wasco (1), Washington (32), and Yamhill (8).
Oregon’s 263rd COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old woman in Clackamas County who tested positive on June 10 and died on June 15 in her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 264th COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old woman in Malheur County who tested positive on June 28 and died on July 19. Her place of death and underlying conditions are being confirmed.
Oregon’s 265th COVID-19 death is a 52-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on June 24 and died on July 18 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 266th COVID-19 death is a 59-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on June 23 and died on July 15 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. He did not have underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 267th COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on July 7 and died on July 19 at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 268th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on June 23 and died on July 20. He had underlying conditions. His place of death is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 269th COVID-19 death is a 47-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on June 29 and died on July 17 at Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla, Washington. He had underlying conditions.
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