Dec. 17, 2020
We hear you: You want to know more about the underlying conditions that can lead to complications from COVID-19.
These conditions include: cardiovascular disease, chronic liver and lung disease, chronic renal disease, being a current or former smoker, diabetes mellitus, immunocompromised condition, neurologic and neurodevelopmental conditions, obesity and other chronic diseases.
Having type 2 diabetes increases your risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Based on what we know at this time, having type 1 or gestational diabetes might increase your risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
 
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Longtime Portlander Bill Deiz shared his thoughts on the COVID-19 vaccine and the impact of the pandemic with Coronavirus Update (CU). Deiz, well-known for his career in local TV and radio, is active in Oregon’s community, most recently as a former chair of the Oregon Commission on Voluntary Action and Service and as a member of the Rotary Club of Portland.
CU: Any thoughts on how COVID-19 has impacted communities that you’re a part of?
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Deiz: I realize that COVID-19 has adversely impacted Communities of Color throughout our nation. I have been fortunate that my wife and I are retired and that we remodeled our home in the past few years so that we can age in place. We have all taken this crisis seriously and wear masks when out and about and limit our trips to the store and physically distance at all times, including with family members who do not live with us.
CU: What was your reaction to hearing the news that there is a vaccine for COVID-19?
Deiz: Three cheers! I am 77 years old and my wife is in her late 60s, so we are vulnerable to COVID-19 because of our ages. I also have underlying medical conditions.
CU: Do you plan on getting a vaccine to prevent COVID-19?
Deiz: Yes. I hope to get the first dose as early as January or February, but we will see.
CU: Do you have any advice for people in Oregon right now?
Deiz: I was a child of the polio epidemic. My next-door neighbor was among the last children infected with polio as the then-new polio vaccines were being given to children. I remember, clearly, the concern of the medical professionals who wanted to make sure every child got the vaccine. We eagerly took the vaccine as children, and it literally saved many of our lives. My neighbor grew up embittered by the experience of being one of the last kids to contract polio. I am a member of the Rotary Club of Portland and one of the Rotarians I know was one of the last kids to get wild polio before the vaccines. He said there were three strains of wild polio at the time and even though he had caught one strain, he still received vaccinations to protect him from the other two strains and was grateful.
CU: We’d love to hear how you plan to celebrate your holidays safely this year.
Deiz: We have been living in a bubble since the onslaught of this pandemic. For the first time, we celebrated Thanksgiving via Zoom with our two sons – one in Washington, D.C., and the other who lives here in Portland. My wife and I also took our turkey dinner to our Portland son and gave it to him to eat at his home. We had no in-person family gathering. We plan to do the same at Christmas.
We need to trust the science to help us save lives with the COVID-19 vaccine.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
 
COVID-19 has claimed 21 more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,283, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
OHA also reported 1,339 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 98,936.
COVID-19 hospitalizations: The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 551, which is three fewer than yesterday. There are 113 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is unchanged from yesterday. The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity. More information about hospital capacity can be found here.
The new cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (2), Benton (20), Clackamas (173), Clatsop (3), Columbia (18), Coos (5), Crook (4), Curry (1), Deschutes (48), Douglas (12), Gilliam (3), Hood River (23), Jackson (82), Jefferson (10), Josephine (24), Klamath (19), Lane (74), Lincoln (8), Linn (60), Malheur (13), Marion (148), Morrow (5), Multnomah (250), Polk (20), Tillamook (12), Umatilla (34), Union (13), Wasco (9), Washington (218), Wheeler (1) and Yamhill (27).
Here is more information on the deaths reported today:
Oregon’s 1,263rd COVID-19 death is a 92-year-old woman in Jackson County who tested positive on Nov. 10 and died Dec. 14 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,264th COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old man in Josephine County who tested positive on Dec. 8 and died Dec. 16 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 1,265th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old man in Klamath County who tested positive on Dec. 5 and died Dec. 12 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,266th COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on Nov. 27 and died Nov. 30 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 1,267th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Malheur County who tested positive on Dec. 7 and died Dec. 15 at St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 1,268th COVID-19 death is a 94-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Nov. 30 and died Dec. 10 at her residence. She had no underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,269th COVID-19 death is an 89-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Nov. 22 and died Dec. 16 at Salem Hospital. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,270th COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Oct. 5 and died Nov. 29 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,271st COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 27 and died Dec. 3 at Providence Portland Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,272nd COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 23 and died Nov. 23 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 1,273rd COVID-19 death is a 73-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 23 and died Dec. 12 at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 1,274th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old man in Douglas County who tested positive on Nov. 30 and died Dec. 15 at Mercy Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 1,275th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 17 and died Dec. 7 at her residence. She had no underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,276th COVID-19 death is a 91-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 1 and died Dec. 11 at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,277th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 30 and died Dec. 8 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,278th COVID-19 death is a 62-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 7 and died Dec. 15 at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,279th COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 26 and died Dec. 6. Location of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.
Oregon’s 1,280th COVID-19 death is an 84-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 10 and died Dec. 10 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 1,281st COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on Nov. 25 and died Dec. 4 at Providence Portland Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,282nd COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on Nov. 30 and died Dec. 12 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,283rd COVID-19 death is an 81-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Dec. 4 and died Dec. 8 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Mental and emotional resources for difficult times:
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Mental and emotional health resources are available on OHA’s Safe + Strong website.
- Or call the Safe + Strong Helpline at 800-923-4357 (800-923-HELP). The line offers free, 24-7 emotional support and resource referral to anyone who needs it – not only those experiencing a mental health crisis
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