Dec. 28, 2020
The Transportation Security Administration reported high numbers of travelers screened at airports during the week leading up to the Christmas holiday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised staying home this year due to the pandemic. But for those who must travel or might be returning home, we wanted to share some reminders for flying and driving:
A few tips for flying
- Try to limit contact with frequently touched surfaces like kiosks, touchscreens and turnstiles, handrails, restroom surfaces and elevator buttons.
- Try to limit your exposure to others in the airport.
- Wear your mask in the airport and during the flight.
- Continue to practice good hand hygiene.
The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA) announced today that residents and staff at its Oregon Veterans’ Homes in Lebanon and The Dalles received their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from Consonus Healthcare over the weekend.
Vaccinations were made available to all staff and residents. The vaccine has been proclaimed safe and effective by scientists and health professionals, including a four-state scientific safety review group comprised of experts from Oregon, California, Washington and Nevada.
This vaccine is free to all who choose to take it, and Oregon has prioritized residents of long-term care facilities, as well as frontline health care workers, to receive it first.
“‘Grateful’ is the word, as a long and difficult year draws to a close,” said ODVA Director Kelly Fitzpatrick. “We are grateful for the scientists and lab technicians who have made this vaccine possible in record time. We are grateful for our national, state and local partners who have brought doses to Oregon and ensured our honored residents and the incredible staff of the Oregon Veterans’ Homes are among the first to receive it.”
The homes will continue to follow strict infectious disease control protocol and conduct regular testing to ensure the safety of residents and staff. ODVA is also working with public health officials to determine ongoing visitation and admissions guidance as the state continues to distribute the vaccination to all Oregonians.
Read more at the ODVA website. (Photo courtesy Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs.)
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COVID-19 has claimed six more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,433, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
OHA also reported 865 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 110,545.
Vaccinations in Oregon: OHA is providing daily updates on administered doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Oregon on its vaccination data dashboard. Yesterday, 840 doses of vaccine were administered, raising the state’s total number of first vaccine doses to 20,298. All vaccinations occurred at Oregon hospitals and long-term care facilities.
COVID-19 hospitalizations: There are 515 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 across Oregon, which is 23 more than yesterday. There are 113 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is eight more than 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.
Cases and deaths:
The new COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (7), Clackamas (125), Clatsop (5), Columbia (5), Coos (1), Curry (1), Deschutes (11), Grant (1), Harney (1), Hood River (8), Jackson (69), Jefferson (1), Josephine (7), Lake (1), Lane (35), Lincoln (2), Linn (12), Malheur (5), Marion (80), Multnomah (121), Polk (32), Umatilla (11), Union (1), Wasco (3), Washington (305) and Yamhill (14).
NOTE: Due to a lab processing error, 20 cases were attributed to Douglas County last week. Those cases have been removed from today’s Douglas County cumulative total.
Oregon’s 1,428th COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on Nov. 22 and died on Dec. 27 at Providence Medford Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,429th COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on Dec.18 and died on Dec. 26 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center in Medford. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,430th COVID-19 death is a 67-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on Dec. 12 and died on Dec. 17 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,431st COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Nov. 25 and died on Dec. 15 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1432nd COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on Dec. 15 and died on Dec. 26 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,433rd COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on Dec. 27 and died on Dec. 27 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. She had underlying conditions.
Mental and emotional resources for difficult times:
- 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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