Dec. 2, 2020
After a long spring, summer and fall, there is a glimmer of light ahead. The first COVID-19 vaccines may be available in limited quantities before the end of 2020.
Currently, two vaccines are nearing approval. The vaccine producers, pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna, report that the vaccines were found to be 90% and 95% effective, respectively, in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in Phase 3 study participants.
The vaccines are waiting for approval under an Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after a rigorous testing and trial process. Oregon has made the safety of COVID-19 vaccines a top priority and has joined a consortium of western states (Washington, California, Nevada and Colorado) that is reviewing all vaccines for safety before they are made available to the public. Federal partners are also working to ensure the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.
If approved, a limited supply will be available in December. People will need two doses, spaced a few weeks apart. Because the initial supply of first doses will be limited, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends prioritizing two groups: health care workers treating COVID-19 patients and residents of long-term care facilities. OHA has not yet determined prioritization and will convene a Vaccine Advisory Committee to gain input from community members about how to ensure an equitable approach to distribution.
OHA is working with vaccination providers, including doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies, hospitals and federally qualified health centers, to ensure that people in Oregon can easily get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as large quantities are available. The hope is that there will be enough vaccine to start widespread immunization in spring 2021.
This news offers hope that we may be able to end the widespread impact of the pandemic, but it’s important to continue taking steps to slow the spread. Please stay home whenever possible, avoid gatherings, wear a face covering, keep six feet of physical distance, and wash hands often.
Keep up to date with Oregon’s COVID-19 vaccine plans at healthoregon.org/covidvaccine.
As Oregon prepares to receive and distribute vaccines, OHA is establishing a Vaccine Advisory Committee to create a final vaccine distribution plan that centers equity. We are sharing this opportunity with community partners so that anyone who may be interested has a chance to learn more and apply.
The Vaccine Advisory Committee is a decision-making group that will work with OHA to co-create a final vaccine distribution plan that prioritizes communities most impacted by COVID-19 and those impacted by past and current health inequities. The committee will guide decisions on how the supply of vaccines, which will be limited at first, is prioritized and allocated across the state. It will develop communication and community engagement strategies to build trust and increase confidence in COVID vaccines.
Members will be expected to attend a three-hour initial meeting during the week of Jan. 4 and one- to two-hour weekly meetings through January and February, with continued regular meetings throughout the spring. Meetings will be held in English on Zoom, with language interpreters available for members who prefer languages other than English. Please contact community.covid19@dhsoha.state.or.us if you have questions. To apply, fill out this form by Dec. 14. Thank you!
Effective on Thursday, Dec. 3, when the “freeze” ends, Oregon will begin using its new risk and protection framework. Here are the county risk levels.
-
Lower risk: Gilliam, Sherman, Wallowa, Wheeler
-
Moderate risk: Harney, Tillamook
-
High risk: Benton, Clatsop, Coos, Curry, Lincoln
-
Extreme risk: 25 counties
See the sector risk level guidance chart or coronavirus.oregon.gov for more information.
OHA is revising its process for reporting test results to align with the new statewide framework. The change will take effect tomorrow, Dec. 3.
This new health and safety framework is based on four risk levels for counties level of COVID-19 spread: extreme, high, moderate and lower risk.
One of the key new metrics in determining the spread of the virus is the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests. To determine that, OHA is no longer counting the people tested and will instead count test results. This change will provide a more complete picture of the spread of the disease in a community.
To support this change, and to maintain transparency in reporting on COVID-19, OHA is changing its public dashboards. That transition is expected to be complete in about two weeks. During that time, OHA will continue to update its Tableau dashboards on weekdays.
OHA has developed an interim dashboard that will report test results at the state and county levels until the new revised dashboard is deployed.
OHA’s COVID-19 weekly report released today, set new weekly highs for COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations for the second consecutive week. Here are some key points from the report:
- OHA reported 9,100 new daily cases during the week of Monday, Nov. 23 through Sunday, Nov. 29, a 5% increase over the previous week.
- Weekly hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 rose to 398, a 9% increase, a significant slowing from the previous week, yet still the highest weekly total reported during the pandemic.
- There were 86 reported COVID-19 reported deaths, up from 61 the previous week.
- People age 20 to 49 accounted for 55% of the cases, while people 70 and older accounted for 74% of the deaths.
- During the week of Nov. 22 to Nov. 28,141,356 COVID-19 tests were administered. The percentage of positive tests was 8.6%.
OHA announces changes to the weekly report format: Starting this week, there are changes to the Weekly Report format. The most significant change is listing all active and resolved outbreaks in Oregon as a separate report. Also, cases by ZIP code are now available as a data dashboard and will no longer be listed in the Weekly Report.
Have you had COVID-19? You may receive an email survey from Oregon Health Authority. We want to learn what services public health and local community-based organizations can provide to help people during isolation and quarantine. The responses are important because they will help OHA better assist Oregonians during their COVID-19 illness. All responses are confidential.
COVID-19 has claimed 18 more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 953, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
OHA also reported 1,244 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 78,160.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (5), Benton (28), Clackamas (128), Clatsop (5), Columbia (13), Coos (10), Crook (4), Curry (3), Deschutes (30), Douglas (12), Grant (1), Harney (2), Hood River (16), Jackson (65), Jefferson (12), Josephine (11), Klamath (16), Lake (5), Lane (69), Lincoln (19), Linn (29), Malheur (26), Marion (122), Morrow (7), Multnomah (282), Polk (26), Tillamook (7), Umatilla (61), Union (12), Wallowa (1), Wasco (4), Washington (184), Wheeler (1) and Yamhill (28).
NOTE: Oregon’s 882nd and 883rd COVID-19 deaths, reported on Nov. 26 and Nov. 27, are the same person. The numbers have been adjusted accordingly. OHA regrets this error.
Oregon’s 936th COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on Nov. 10 and died on Nov. 29 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 937th COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old woman in Douglas County who tested positive on Nov. 16 and died on Nov. 29. Place of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 938th COVID-19 death is a 98-year-old man in Malheur County who tested positive on Nov. 16 and died on Dec. 1. Place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 939th COVID-19 death is a 71-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Nov. 7 and died on Nov. 14. Place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 940th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on Nov. 9 and died on Nov. 16. Place of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 941st COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old woman in Hood River County who tested positive on Oct. 20 and died on Nov. 18. Place of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 942nd COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on Oct. 22 and died on Nov. 28. Place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 943rd COVID-19 death is an 82-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Nov. 25 and died on Nov. 30. Place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 944th COVID-19 death is a 94-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on Oct. 29 and died on Nov. 21. Place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 945th COVID-19 death is a 57-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on Nov. 6 and died on Nov. 26. Place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 946th COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on Nov. 7 and died on Nov. 20. Place of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 947th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old woman in Jackson County who tested positive on Nov. 15 and died on Nov. 29. Place of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 948th COVID-19 death is a 69-year-old woman in Josephine County who tested positive on Nov. 20 and died on Dec. 1. Place of death is being confirmed. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 949th COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old man in Columbia County who tested positive on Nov. 22 and died on Nov. 27 at Kaiser Westside Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 950th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 26 and died on Nov. 26 at Adventist Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 951st COVID-19 death is an 81-year-old man who tested positive on Nov. 27 and died on Nov. 28. Place of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 952nd COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old woman in Klamath County who tested positive on Nov. 28 and died on Nov. 30 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 953rd COVID-19 death is a 76-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on Nov. 27 and died on Nov. 27 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center Riverbend. She had underlying conditions.
Daily COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped: The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients across Oregon dropped to 549, 28 fewer than yesterday. There are 105 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds. That is six fewer than yesterday.
Did someone forward this to you? You can subscribe here.
|