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In this issue: |
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OHA Interim Director Dave Baden gets his flu and 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccinations.
Needles can be scary. The important thing is to protect yourself and those around you this fall and winter. Thank you to Oregon State Hospital infection prevention nurse epidemiologist Ken Solanky for giving OHA’s Interim Director, Dave Baden, his COVID-19 and flu vaccines.
Everyone ages 6 months and older is recommended to get both flu and 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine options on our blog.
Find flu and COVID-19 vaccines near you at Vaccines.gov, and if you’re age 60 or older, don’t forget to talk to your health care provider about the new vaccine for RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).
Insurance coverage for these vaccines is complicated. Check out our blog to learn more.
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In the United States, men will die about six years earlier than women, on average; in Oregon, the difference is five years. The leading causes of death for men are heart disease and cancer, and the top three risky behaviors are tobacco use, having an unhealthy weight and alcohol use.
For the past 20 years, an annual campaign has aimed to help men be healthier and live longer. In 2003, the facial hair-themed “Movember” was concocted by two guys sitting in a pub in Australia. Now a global event, Movember challenges men to sport mustaches (real or fake) during the month of November with the goal of raising awareness about three of the biggest health issues affecting men: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health and suicide.
Movember also encourages men to talk more openly about their health, with their doctors and each other.
Here are some tips to help keep men healthy:
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Help your heart and move more: Maintain a healthy weight, and good cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Add more activity to your day, if you can. For example, take the stairs, get off the bus two stops early, or walk or bike instead of driving.
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Know your numbers and risk: If you’re 50 or older, talk to your health care provider about your prostate and whether you should have a PSA (prostate specific antigen) test. Black men and those with family histories of prostate cancer are at slightly higher risk.
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Know your testicles: Check them regularly and see your health care provider if something doesn’t feel right.
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Stay connected and talk more: Your friends are important. Catch up regularly, check in and make time. If someone you care about is going through a tough time, reach out and talk.
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Get help: For help quitting tobacco, text “READY” to 34191, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit quitnow.net/Oregon. If you’re struggling with substance use, Oregon’s 24/7 Alcohol & Drug Helpline (800-923-4357) can provide compassionate support and referrals to local resources for peer support and treatment.
Additionally, Oregon Health & Science University hosts a monthly support group for men affected by prostate cancer. Call 503-494-9244 or email rainey@ohsu.edu for details.
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The telehealth service for receiving free COVID-19 antiviral medication will be available through Dec. 15. The Color Health service offers online or telephone support to get oral antiviral medication for the treatment of COVID-19, regardless of insurance status, at no cost. The service provides medication to eligible people ages 12 and older within 24-48 hours. Parental or adult caregiver consent is required for patients under age 18.
COVID-19 antiviral medication must be taken within five days of symptom onset. It is not necessary to test positive for COVID-19 to be eligible.
For more information on the Color Health service for COVID-19 treatment, check out our blog. You can also call 833-273-6330 or start your telehealth consult online.
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Health notes |
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The latest report on respiratory viruses from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) show the trends and indicators for COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Oregon.
Highlights from the report published Oct. 27 include:
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COVID-19: As of Oct. 28, the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 dropped to 203, down from a peak of 298 on Oct. 9. This trend is reflected nationally, and the short term forecast for Oregon shows continued decline in COVID-19-related hospitalizations. Test positivity in Oregon has also dropped, from a peak of 15.2% for the week ending Sept. 16 to 8.6% for the week ending Oct. 21. Wastewater monitoring shows an overall steady level of viral concentration across the state, with some individual sites showing increases and others showing decreases.
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RSV: RSV rates have started increasing in Oregon. While the levels are low, they are expected to grow through into December.
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Influenza: Rates of flu hospitalization in Oregon have not yet begun to increase this season.
Dr. Peter Graven, director of OHSU’s Office of Advanced Analytics, authored the report. He will publish future reports with new data as needed.
OHA has launched an interactive data dashboard of its statewide behavioral health residential housing inventory.
The comprehensive and robust dashboard provides details of actual and anticipated investments, broken down by county and by program, along with an estimated occupancy timeline. According to the dashboard, the investments will create 5,061 total housing units in Oregon’s housing capacity.
“This new dashboard will allow people to see where and how we are spending the dollars we’ve been entrusted to invest in much-needed housing investments throughout Oregon,” said OHA Behavioral Health Director Ebony Clarke.
The new dashboard is updated weekly and can be found here.
Oregonians can now keep track of winter-related injuries and illnesses on OHA’s new data dashboard—Oregon ESSENCE Winter Hazard Report dashboard, updated weekly.
The interactive dashboard shows data for emergency room or urgent care visits in Oregon related to four categories:
- Asthma-like illness due to poor air quality, smoke from wood stoves and air inversions.
- Cold weather-related illnesses, such as hypothermia and frostbite.
- Carbon monoxide exposure from portable gas-powered generators used indoors, and defective furnaces.
- Falls due to slippery surfaces, such as icy or snowy sidewalks and driveways.
The data come from reports to the Oregon ESSENCE database. ESSENCE (Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-Based Epidemics) allows public health officials and hospitals to monitor, in real time, what’s happening in emergency departments and urgent care centers across the state before, during and after a public health emergency.
As the state passes the halfway mark reviewing member eligibility for Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and other state Medicaid programs, data through October show 82.5% of members are keeping their benefits, 13.8% are losing coverage, and 3.2% had a reduction in benefits. This gives Oregon the fourth-highest Medicaid renewal rate in the nation as the public health emergency unwinds.
Since the renewal process began earlier this year, more than 55% of OHP members have completed the process. Everyone who has OHP or other Medicaid-funded services and supports will receive a renewal notice by mid-2024. The notice will explain whether the member needs to provide additional information or take action to keep their coverage.
Members losing OHP will receive at least 60 days advance notice to explore other coverage options. To learn more about the Marketplace or other options, visit OregonHealthCare.gov or call 833-699-6850. If you’re 65 or older and losing OHP coverage and would like help understanding Medicare options, visit this webpage to learn more and connect with a counselor at the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program (SHIBA), or call SHIBA at 800-722-4134.
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OHA answers your questions |
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Questions are answered by OHA experts and sometimes with help from other state agencies or community partners.
Q: What is the medical reason for age limits for vaccines like RSV and shingles? My friend is in his 30s and had shingles. I’m in my mid-40s and have had shingles twice so far. Is there any point in getting the vaccine when I turn 50 now that I’ve already had it? – Lucy, Springfield
A: Yes, indeed – and sorry to hear about your two episodes! As you’ve had the misfortune to discover, a bout of shingles doesn’t immunize you against another one; and you’ve demonstrated that you’re at risk for it. Your insurance should cover the shingles vaccine if you’re age 50 or older; and if you are 19-49 years of age and “are or will be immunodeficient or immunosuppressed because of disease or therapy.” People under 50 who are not immunocompromised are at much lower risk of developing shingles.
Q: I have long COVID, according to my doctor, and she says I should not get a COVID-19 shot because it might activate the disease. What do you think? – Kerry, Eugene
A: I’m sorry to hear of your bout with long COVID. But unless you had a significant reaction to one of the vaccines, or have been diagnosed with “multisystem inflammatory syndrome” (which is associated with COVID-19 but different from long COVID), I would advise that you get a 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine. A recent study actually showed that being vaccinated against COVID-19 was associated with reduced symptoms in patients with long COVID.
People with certain medical conditions or histories, or who have had allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines in the past, should discuss the COVID-19 vaccine with their health care provider.
If you have a question related to COVID-19 or other public health topics, submit your question here. While we are unable to answer every question, we try to address questions that may be of interest to a broader audience. Please understand we are unable to provide specific medical advice for personal medical conditions.
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If you need mental health support for any reason, help is out there.
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