Dec. 30, 2020
This year, the safest way to celebrate the start of 2021 is to stay home. With COVID-19 spreading rapidly in Oregon, going to a New Year’s Eve party can increase your chances of getting and spreading the virus. Eating, drinking, singing and dancing with people outside your household are all high-risk activities. The best way to protect yourself and others is to celebrate virtually, or with just the people you live with.
See the graphic below for some ideas from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website:
 
Competitive by nature, Hayley Barrett (right) was determined to be the first in line to get vaccinated for COVID-19 at Oregon State Hospital. So she didn't go to the clinic at the 6 a.m. start time. She arrived 15 minutes early.
“I am super excited. It's finally here!" said Barrett, a registered nurse. “I would like to contribute in any way I can to stop this pandemic. I believe in the science."
Oregon State Hospital is now offering the Moderna vaccine to everyone who wants one — both patients and staff. Staff are receiving their first vaccine dose now and will receive their second one in about a month. Patients, too, can choose to get vaccinated in coming weeks.
As of Tuesday morning, more than 700 staff members had received their vaccinations — and that number continues to grow. Most said they chose to get vaccinated because they want to do their part to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community.
“I want to keep our patients protected and I want the planet protected," said Randy Davis, a Collaborative Problem-Solving coach who works with patients and staff. “I'm super happy to be in the first round."
Samantha McFadden, a food service worker for the hospital, said she was nervous about getting vaccinated. But she wants to do her part to protect others — including a diabetic co-worker who she describes as her “partner in crime."
“I kind of feel like I'm a guinea pig, but I don't feel this vaccine would be offered it wasn't safe," she said. “I have faith in the system. I have faith in doctors."
Dr. Thomas Flynn, a psychiatrist at the hospital, said he's also eager to do his part to stop the pandemic.
“If the vaccine is good enough for Dr. Fauci, it's good enough for me," he said. “I'm looking forward to it. We need as many people to get vaccinated as possible to keep this place safe."
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 Dr. Thomas Flynn, a psychiatrist at Oregon State Hospital, receives his vaccine.
Governor Kate Brown today announced that due to a corrected oversight in the initial risk level calculations for Baker County, the county will improve its risk level from extreme risk to high risk, effective Jan. 1.
The oversight involved nine COVID-19 cases at the Powder River Correctional Facility that were counted among the 68 cases recorded in the county over the past two weeks. Because adults in custody at the facility do not interact with the public, those cases should not have been counted toward the county’s risk rating. Subtracting those cases from the county’s total and factoring in the 7.9% positive test rate rolled the county back from extreme risk to high risk.
More information about county risk levels is available at coronavirus.oregon.gov.
OHA’s COVID-19 Weekly Report was released today and showed declines in weekly cases, hospitalizations and deaths. The weekly report features a new format and includes additional information on new cases and data spanning the entire pandemic.
- OHA reported 6,790 new daily cases during the week of Monday, Dec. 21 through Sunday, Dec. 27, a 22% decrease from the previous week. That marked the third consecutive week of declining cases.
- There were 337 persons hospitalized for COVID-19, a 23% decline from the previous week.
- Additionally, there were 86 reported COVID-19 reported deaths, down 100 from last week and representing the lowest total in four weeks.
- There were 134,498 tests for COVID-19 for the week of Dec. 20 through Dec. 26. The percentage of positive tests increased to 6.3%.
- People age 20 to 49 have accounted for 54% of COVID-19 cases, while people 70 and older have accounted for 77% of deaths associated with the virus.
Today’s COVID-19 outbreak report shows 4,567 active COVID-19 outbreaks in care facilities, living communities and long-term care facilities and an additional 296 deaths.
COVID-19 has claimed 19 more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,468, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
OHA also reported 1,052 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 112,260.
Vaccinations in Oregon: OHA is providing daily updates on administered doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Oregon on its vaccination data dashboard.
- Yesterday, 3,504 doses of vaccine were administered, raising the state’s total number of first vaccine doses to 31,382. All vaccinations occurred at Oregon hospitals and long-term care facilities.
- To date, 138,400 doses of vaccine have been delivered to sites across Oregon.
COVID-19 hospitalizations: There are 521 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 across Oregon, which is six fewer than yesterday. There are 110 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is nine fewer 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 reported today:
The new confirmed and presumptive cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (4), Benton (14), Clackamas (104), Clatsop (12), Columbia (12), Coos (15), Crook (14), Curry (3), Deschutes (47), Douglas (18), Gilliam (2), Hood River (19), Jackson (59), Jefferson (9), Josephine (27), Klamath (29), Lake (1), Lane (80), Lincoln (2), Linn (20), Malheur (31), Marion (121), Morrow (9), Multnomah (168), Polk (20), Tillamook (10), Umatilla (57), Union (3), Wasco (21), Washington (103) and Yamhill (18).
Oregon’s 1,450th COVID-19 death is a 92-year-old woman in Clackamas County who tested positive on Dec. 25 and died on Dec. 28. Location of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.
Oregon’s 1,451st COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man in Coos County who tested positive on Dec. 18 and died on Dec. 20 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,452nd COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old man in Coos County who tested positive on Dec. 23 and died on Dec. 24 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,453rd COVID-19 death is an 86-year-old woman in Coos County who tested positive on Dec. 24 and died on Dec. 25 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,454th COVID-19 death is a 93-year-old woman in Hood River County who tested positive on Dec. 1 and died on Dec. 28 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,455th COVID-19 death is a 66-year-old woman in Hood River County who tested positive on Dec. 13 and died on Dec. 28 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,456th COVID-19 death is a 67-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on Dec. 10 and died on Dec. 28 at Asante Rogue Valley Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,457th COVID-19 death is an 84-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on Dec. 15 and died on Dec. 27 at Asante Rogue Valley Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,458th COVID-19 death is a 100-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on Dec. 15 and died on Dec. 24 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,459th COVID-19 death is a 73-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 29 and died on Dec. 14 at Adventist Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Oregon’s 1,460th COVID-19 death is a 72-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 8 and died on Dec. 28 at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,461st COVID-19 death is an 86-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Dec. 16 and died on Dec. 19 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,462nd COVID-19 death is a 92-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 14 and died on Dec. 25 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,463rd COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old woman in Polk County who tested positive on Nov. 27 and died on Dec. 23 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,464th COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old woman in Polk County who tested positive on Dec. 12 and died on Dec. 28 at Salem Hospital. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,465th COVID-19 death is a 67-year-old man in Union County who tested positive on Dec. 15 and died on Dec. 28 at Grande Ronde Hospital. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,466th COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on Nov. 28 and died on Dec. 26 at Oregon Health & Science University. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,467th COVID-19 death is a 45-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on Dec. 11 and died on Dec. 18 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,468th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man in Wheeler County who tested positive on Nov. 28 and died on Dec. 26 at Pioneer Memorial Hospital — Prineville. He 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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