In this issue:

• What you need to know about Oregon law for helping someone during an overdose
• Medicaid renewals strong, but we need your help to reach more Oregonians
• Readers share what inspires them to be healthy
• Measure 110 unveils new helpline with access to services
• Help OHA review the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons
• Q & A
• OHA's COVID-19 resources

What you need to know about Oregon law for helping someone during an overdose

Oregon law provides legal protection to anyone helping someone experiencing a drug overdose. If you call 911 or seek medical care when you witness someone overdosing, the law says you and the patient cannot be arrested or prosecuted for:

1. Possessing drugs or drug paraphernalia.
2. Being in a place where drugs are used.
3. Violating probation or parole related to #1 or #2.
4. Outstanding warrants related to #1 or #2.

Oregon law also provides legal protections for administering the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone. Naloxone is available in two forms—nasal and injectable. Many people are familiar with Narcan®—the nonprescription brand of nasal naloxone. Narcan® is easy to use and available at most retail pharmacies. It’s important to have this medication on hand if you or someone you live with takes prescription opioids, uses illicit drugs or has a history of drug use. People can overdose on legally prescribed opioid pain killers, such as methadone, oxycodone or hydrocodone (Vicodin®). Even if a person uses stimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine, there is a chance that any pill or powder acquired online, on the street, or from a friend could contain a fatal dose of the opioid fentanyl. If you witness an overdose, call 911 immediately, before administering naloxone. Reversing the opioid overdose is critical, but because the reversal is temporary and the patient may have also ingested harmful non-opioid drugs that do not respond to naloxone, it’s important that medical personnel arrive as quickly as possible. No part of Oregon law protects you or the patient from: Crimes related to drug dealing, weapons possession, DUI and others. Outstanding federal warrants or warrants from other states. The laws can be read here: ORS 475.898 and ORS 689.681. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, you’re not alone. Oregon’s Alcohol & Drug Helpline can provide referrals to local resources for peer support and treatment. Call 800-923-4357 24/7, or text Recovery Now to 839863.

Medicaid renewals strong, but we need your help to reach more Oregonians

If you’re 65 or older or experiencing homelessness, or you know people in Oregon who are, OHA needs your help. Please remind those you know that time is running out for people to protect their Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and other Medicaid benefits. OHP members have been sent letters about this since April. Some members are keeping their benefits with no action required. But other members must take action to keep their benefits. Many members are at risk of losing coverage because they haven’t responded to the renewal letter, and a high number of these members are age 65+ or experiencing homelessness.

Readers share what inspires them to be healthy

Measure 110 unveils new helpline with access to services

When people in Oregon receive citations for possessing small amounts of illegal drugs, they can now call a new and improved helpline.

Measure 110 reduced the penalties for most offenses related to illegal drug possession from a felony or misdemeanor to a new Class E violation, punishable with a $100 maximum fine. The helpline will connect people who receive this citation to resources for treatment, housing, and overdose prevention providers across the state.

Calling the helpline is also the first step in getting the citation and fine waived, but a citation is not required to call for help.

People can also call the helpline to find out treatment options and the availability of services on behalf of their loved ones who may be struggling with substance use.

The new toll-free helpline number is 833-975-0505.

Help OHA review the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons

OHA is seeking applicants for a community review board to discuss the proposed merger between two major grocery store chains – Kroger and Albertsons. This deal could impact more than 150 pharmacies in Oregon including pharmacies at Fred Meyer, Safeway, Save-On, QFC and Albertsons stores. OHA reviews these types of health care business deals to make sure they won’t harm people and communities in Oregon. The board will be made up of community members, providers, health care experts and community groups and it will provide input about potential effects of the deal and advise OHA on whether the deal should proceed as planned. Consumer advocates and community members who have experience with pharmacies, health care providers who write prescriptions, and pharmacy staff at Fred Meyer, Safeway, Albertsons or QFC are urged to apply. Please review the application instructions and email the required forms to hcmo.info@oha.oregon.gov by January 19, 2024. If you want to share a public comment, please email us and include the word “Kroger” in your message.

Q & A

Questions are answered by experts at OHA and other state agencies or community partners.

Q: How concerned should I be (68 years old) about possible Guillain-Barré syndrome with the RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine? I have been worried due to this possible side effect. Please advise. – Jane, Tualatin

A: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare autoimmune disorder where a person’s immune system attacks their nerves, resulting in muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. Most people fully recover within a few weeks, but permanent nerve damage and death can happen.

We recommend that you talk to your health care provider about your risk of severe RSV disease and compare it to the risk of neurologic side effects from the RSV vaccine.

In the clinical trials for the RSV vaccine, Guillain-Barré syndrome or similar neurologic events occurred in about 1 out of every 6,000 vaccine recipients. This CDC report from July details those findings.

Regarding Guillain-Barré syndrome, of the 38,177 clinical trial participants who received the RSV vaccine, two cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome were reported, and one case of Miller Fisher syndrome (a Guillain-Barré variant) was reported.

Q: Can people under 62 get the RSV vaccine? – Claire, Bend

A: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines state that “adults 60 years of age and older may receive a single dose of RSV vaccine using shared clinical decision-making.” This means that health care providers and their patients should first have a conversation to determine whether RSV vaccination will be beneficial. Some people under 60 have asked whether they might be eligible for the RSV vaccine, and our advice to them is to discuss it with their health care provider. Physicians have the authority to make responsible clinical decisions to help their patients even outside of CDC recommendations. Whether your insurance would cover it in that case, however, is another story. People should always call their insurer and to ask about coverage.

Additionally, CDC guidelines recommend some pregnant people (of any age) are eligible receive the RSV vaccine to protect their newborns. Learn more about that here.

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.

OHA's COVID-19 resources

• FIND A VACCINE
• COVID-19 home page
• News and reports homepage
• Respiratory virus data home page (COVID-19, RSV, flu)
  
• Wastewater surveillance data dashboard (updated every Wednesday)

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