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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Last Friday, Governor Kate Brown and OHA Director Pat Allen announced that an employee of the Lake Oswego School District had a presumptive positive test for Oregon’s first case of COVID-19, or coronavirus. Since then, an additional two cases have been confirmed in Washington and Umatilla County.
In response to the presence of coronavirus in Oregon, myself and my fellow members of the POC Caucus issued a statement that urges Oregonians to remain united as a community during these times of fear and uncertainty. Coronavirus does not discriminate based on race or borders. We must stand firm with our neighbors to reject racism and xenophobia, and provide each other with vital support.
I have been working with state, local, and federal officials to share with you the latest facts, information, and resources that will keep you and your family healthy and safe.
Last Friday in my House Health Care Committee, I invited my colleagues from the House Veterans and Emergency Preparedness Committee to hear an update from the Oregon Health Authority on the response to the coronavirus. We heard from public health experts on the coronavirus outbreak and Oregon’s plans to deal with infections in Oregon. We were primarily concerned with the capacity of the state to respond to an increasing number of infected Oregonians. My colleagues and I also wanted to ensure that coronavirus materials were translated into languages other than English. Sadly, our Republican colleagues chose not to attend to ask questions on behalf of their constituents. You can watch that hearing here.
We also brought our concerns forward to health officials that legal and undocumented immigrants might be fearful to go to health care facilities for tests and treatment given the recent actions taken by the federal government against immigrants. Last month in the House Health Care Committee, we unanimously passed HB 4029 to lessen fears among legal immigrants who seek care from hospital systems but fear jeopardizing their pathway to citizenship due to new public charge rules. It passed the House and is currently awaiting a final vote in the Senate but won’t receive a vote if the Republicans won’t return to work.
During that meeting, the officials indicated that the best way to protect yourself from contracting the coronavirus is by taking preventative measures:
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and then throw that tissue in the trash can.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. If no access to soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces that are often touched.
- Take care of your health overall. Staying current on your vaccinations, including flu vaccine, eating well and exercising all help your body stay resilient.
- If you feel sick, or develop a cough or fever, stay home from work or school.
- Consult CDC’s travel website for any travel advisories and steps to protect yourself if you plan to travel outside of the US.
The Governor has assembled a Coronavirus Response Team to coordinate state and local response efforts. They are building on the work of our incident management team, which has been in place at the Oregon Health Authority since January. The agency has operated similar response operations in past efforts to address global health threats such as H1N1 influenza, Ebola, and Zika.
The Governor’s Coronavirus Response Team will continue to meet weekly throughout this crisis, and will update legislators, to ensure that everything possible is being done to protect the citizens of our state.
A few hours after the House Health Care meeting on Friday, we received an announcement that a presumptive positive test for the coronavirus was identified with an employee at Forest Hills Elementary School in Lake Oswego. Dr. Lora de la Cruz, Lake Oswego School District’s Superintendent, gave a press conference on Saturday afternoon with an update on the situation. This is the information that was passed along:
- The last time the employee visited the school was February 19th.
- The school will remain closed until March 4th to allow for a deep cleaning of the school and for employees to rest and remain healthy.
- There is no reason to believe that any other schools in the district have been impacted and no more closures are expected at this time.
- Any staff members feeling ill are being asked to stay home and that the district will have an adequate number of substitutes to cover any staff shortages.
- No additional school days will be added to the end of the year.
- School officials will be working with state agencies to formulate a plan to discuss coronavirus with teachers, students, and parents.
You can find a link to the full press conference here.
Senator Merkley recently launched a Coronavirus Resource Page where you can find the latest information and receive updates on the COVID-19 outbreak. Here is a link to that website.
In Congress, there is currently a $7-$8 billion-dollar measure being proposed to confront the coronavirus that could be introduced as early as today. This funding would provide money to fund the federal and state response efforts, help develop and produce an effective vaccine, and give the Small Business Administration disaster loans to help businesses who have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. They are hoping to pass that legislation through the House and the Senate by the end of this week.
Clackamas County Public Health has an Infectious Disease division that is working full time and is on call 24/7 to prevent the further spread of infectious diseases like the coronavirus. They are closely monitoring the situation and are available to contact should you have any questions about the localized response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Here is a link to their website.
The Public Health Department of Multnomah County also has a tremendous wealth of resources on the 2020 coronavirus outbreak. They have information on what they are doing to prepare, how you can stay safe, and resources available to keep you up to speed with the latest COVID-19 developments. Here is a link to their website.
This coming Thursday, March 5th, the Senate Health Committee will be convening at 1:00pm to provide an update on our health care systems response strategies. There will be testimony from OHA Director Patrick Allen, State Health Officer and Epidemiologist Dean Sidelinger, the President of OHSU Danny Jacobs, and the Chief Medical Officer for OHSU Renee Edwards. This hearing is available to the public or you can stream the event here.
I encourage you to use the Oregon Health Authority’s official website to find the most accurate and up to date information regarding the Covid-19 outbreak in Oregon. You can also subscribe to receive the latest updates.
If you need any help locating resources, gathering information about the coronavirus, or learning more about the state and local response, please reach out to my office at (503) 986-1438 or rep.andreasalinas@oregonlegislature.gov.
Be Well,
 Andrea Salinas
email: Rep.AndreaSalinas@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1438
address: 900 Court St NE, H-485, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/salinas
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