Jan. 8, 2021
“We entered into this new year with hope following the first COVID-19 vaccinations in Oregon, the passage of a second federal relief bill, and the Legislature’s action to deliver a $400 million package to bring relief to many Oregonians,” said Governor Kate Brown. “And even as this virus continues to threaten us with new contagious strains and feelings of fatigue that challenge a year into the pandemic, Oregonians keep showing our strength and resilience.”
Governor Brown announced that to reach the goal of administering 12,000 vaccines a day, she has deployed the National Guard to provide vaccination support. They are starting next week by providing logistical and nursing support for Salem Health’s mass vaccination events at the state fairgrounds (learn more below).
Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen laid out the plan to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination to reach the goal of 12,000 vaccinations per day by the end of next week. For more information on OHA’s strategy for increasing COVID-19 vaccination, watch this video of Director Allen.
At the start of the new year, Oregon’s COVID-19 Health Metrics for Returning to In-Person Instruction became advisory. This means that local school districts and communities will decide at the local level whether to return to in-person instruction, in consultation from their local public health authority. Teachers have been added into Phase 1B of vaccination to offer them protection as schools begin to reopen.
Governor Brown and Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill emphasized that schools across the world have been able to reopen safely with rigorous health protocols in place. Go to Ready Schools, Safe Learners to learn more about ODE’s guidance for reopening schools.
In the meantime, as Director Allen noted, though the first COVID-19 vaccines have arrived in Oregon, getting a vaccine is still months away for many of us.
While vaccination gives us hope the pandemic will end, we can’t let our guard down just yet. Protect your health and the health of your loved ones by taking the simple steps outlined in the video below.
Eric Schuman is a retired physician assistant in Marion County who volunteers as an animal-assisted therapist. Pre-pandemic, he and his dogs Sophie and Riki were splitting their time serving people at Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Willamette Valley Hospice and Oregon State Hospital.
“My two Golden Retriever therapy dogs and I are very busy, usually working two or three days a week,” says Schuman. “In March, we were all suddenly unemployed.”
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While he’s been eager to get back to his work, he understands that he’s in a high-risk group for COVID-19 infection and that means taking extra precautions. That’s why when he got contacted by the coordinator at Willamette Valley Hospice about his eligibility for a COVID-19 vaccine at the Oregon State Fairgrounds, he jumped at the opportunity.
“That was at 3:30 yesterday afternoon, and it opened at 8 o’clock this morning,” said Schuman. “I was there at 8 a.m. on the dot.”
Despite his early arrival, Schuman says there were still probably 100 people ahead of him in line. It didn’t matter though.
“It was like clockwork,” said Schuman. “Everything went quickly and smoothly.”
After about 20 minutes of waiting, Schuman received his first dose and, while he has the “tiniest awareness” of a little soreness in the arm he received his vaccination in, his whole experience getting vaccinated was wonderful.
“Once the state hospital makes their decision that volunteers can come back if they’re vaccinated, I’ll be there,” said Schuman.
Anyone who lives or works in Marion County and is qualified to receive the vaccine in Phase 1a can come to the Oregon State Fairground this weekend and get their first shot. Please check Salem Health’s website before reporting to the clinics; you can also fill out required paperwork on the site. Updates on the clinics are also available at Salem Health’s Facebook page.
Eric Schuman with his two Golden Retriever therapy dogs, Sophie (L) and Riki (R). Photos courtesy of Eric Schuman.
Oregon’s COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee (VAC) met for the first time yesterday to discuss how critical workers and populations will be prioritized in the state’s vaccine rollout.
The committee will co-create a vaccine sequencing plan focused on health equity to ensure the state’s vaccine distribution meets the needs of populations who are most at-risk and hardest hit by the pandemic. These populations include communities of color, tribal communities and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Educators and other staff at PK-12 schools and early learning centers will follow the Phase 1A group, which includes: health care workers, residents and staff at long-term care facilities and first responders, in the state’s most immediate prioritization order. The committee is considering how to prioritize critical workers, such as transportation workers and grocery store workers, older adults, people with underlying conditions and other factors.
Today, the Oregon Health Authority released its latest COVID-19 model, which estimated that transmission of COVID-19 decreased dramatically between late November and mid-December before surging sharply upward.
According to the model, the statewide transmission in late November dropped to an effective reproduction rate – the expected number of secondary cases that a single case generates – of 0.8 before surging to 1.29 as of Dec. 23.
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At the current level of transmission, the projected average of new daily cases will be 1,780 between Jan. 13 and Jan. 26, with 85 additional daily hospitalizations.
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If transmission mirrors the levels from the late November to mid-December model, daily cases will number about 1,400 and hospitalizations would hover at about 55 per day.
Oregon reports 1,755 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 7 new deaths
COVID-19 has claimed seven more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,575, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.
Oregon Health Authority reported 1,755 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 122,847.
Vaccinations in Oregon: Today, OHA recorded 7,994 doses of vaccine administered — including 578 second doses — raising the state's total number of doses administered to 74,914. This figure is based on preliminary reports of 5,706 doses administered yesterday, as well as 2,288 doses administered on prior days that had not been recorded. OHA's daily media updates provide information that is preliminary and subject to change. OHA's dashboards provide more updated vaccination data.
All vaccinations occurred at Oregon hospitals, long-term care facilities, emergency medical service (EMS) agencies, urgent care facilities and Local Public Health Authorities (LPHAs).
To date, 252,350 doses of vaccine have been delivered to sites across Oregon.
COVID-19 hospitalizations: The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 451, which is 11 fewer than yesterday. There are 88 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is three 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.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (43), Clackamas (203), Clatsop (8), Columbia (12), Coos (18), Crook (3), Curry (4), Deschutes (92), Douglas (27), Gilliam (3), Harney (1), Hood River (20), Jackson (83), Jefferson (3), Josephine (60), Klamath (115), Lake (1), Lane (105), Lincoln (5), Linn (42), Malheur (24), Marion (179), Morrow (12), Multnomah (256), Polk (42), Sherman (4), Tillamook (5), Umatilla (44), Union (20), Wasco (18), Washington (253) and Yamhill (47).
Here is more information on the deaths reported today:
Oregon’s 1,569th COVID-19 death is a 91-year-old woman in Clackamas County who tested positive on Dec. 21 and died on Jan. 6 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,570th COVID-19 death is a 76-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on Dec. 22 and died on Jan. 4 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,571st COVID-19 death is a 62-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on Dec. 29 and died on Jan. 6 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,572nd COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Dec. 3 and died on Jan. 3 at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,573rd COVID-19 death is a 50-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on Dec. 27 and died on Jan. 5 at Good Shepherd Community Hospital. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,574th COVID-19 death is a 91-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on Dec. 21 and died on Jan. 5 at Oregon Health & Science University. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 1,575th COVID-19 death is a 76-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Dec. 26 and died on Jan. 6 at PeaceHealth Sacred Health Medical Center at Riverbend. He had underlying conditions.
NOTE: Updated information is available for Oregon’s 1,515th death. She is a 53-year-old woman in Harney county who died on Jan. 4 at St. Charles Medical Center — Bend. She was originally reported to have died at Harney District Hospital.
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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