Coronavirus Update: More Relief Funds Coming, A Reflection on the Pandemic

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House Speaker Tina Kotek

Coronavirus Update: More Relief Funds Coming, A Reflection on the Pandemic

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The weekend is here, and some counties are moving on to Phase 2 Reopening (more on that below). Legislators met this afternoon to allocate additional federal relief dollars to help Oregonians and businesses. And, I’m sharing a wonderful video about how being in a pandemic can lead to a deeper understanding of what it means to be Black in America.


Emergency Board Releases More Relief Funds

The Legislative Emergency Board today approved more than $247 million in federal CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars to support Oregonians and small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic.

Our actions today will result in meaningful support to renters, families with young children, workers in need, and small businesses over the next several months. But we have more to do, including additional direct financial assistance for impacted businesses.

We also need Congress to step up and provide more direct support to the people and small businesses that need it most. The scale of this economic crisis is too big for Congress to not act again soon.

A breakdown of the approved funding is listed below:

  • $75 million to support rental assistance, housing stabilization and mortgage assistance (in addition to $25 million in Hardest Hit money for foreclosure prevention).
  • $10 million in additional support to the Oregon Worker Relief Fund which supports Oregonians who are not otherwise eligible for unemployment benefits.
  • $15 million to support individuals having difficulty paying their utility bills.
  • $3.5 million to expand access to affordable telephone and broadband service for low-income households.
  • $4 million to support survivors of domestic violence.
  • $25.6 million to enhance behavioral health services for people impacted by COVID-19, with a focus on communities of color, our federally recognized tribes, and vulnerable populations.
  • $30 million in assistance to help child care providers stay in business.
  • $20 million to support the Rural Broadband Capacity Program to support safe distancing practices by connecting schools, health care providers and businesses.
  • $50 million for rural hospital stabilization grants.
  • $10 million to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for small businesses.
  • $3 million in technical assistance to minority- and women-owned businesses.
  • $1 million for 211 to maintain referral services during the pandemic.

A Reflection on the Pandemic

I hope and expect we’ll see more non-violent protests of police brutality and racial injustice in Oregon and across the country over the weekend. This is a scary and complicated time where we must exercise an immense amount of empathy and take time to listen to those who need to be heard.

To that end, please take a moment to watch this video by my friend Libra Forde, a nonprofit leader and a member of the North Clackamas School Board. As Libra notes, the fear, loss of rights, and exhaustion caused by this pandemic in the name of safety is similar to what communities of color have felt on a daily basis for many generations.

Thank you for sharing, Libra.

And, thank you to those who have done your part to protest safely and peacefully. Please continue to wear face coverings and do all you can to maintain physical distancing as much as possible.


Libra Forde Video

Phase 2 Reopening Update

Governor Brown announced the following 29 counties have been approved to enter Phase 2 Reopening on the following dates:

June 5: Benton, Curry, Douglas, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Linn, Morrow, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, Wheeler

June 6: Baker, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Deschutes, Gilliam, Harney, Josephine, Malheur, Sherman, Umatilla, Yamhill

June 8: Tillamook

Six counties have not yet applied for Phase 2: Clackamas, Hood River, Lincoln, Marion, Polk, and Washington.

Multnomah County applied for Phase 1 today and remains in baseline status. The county hopes to enter Phase 1 next Friday, June 12. You can read more about Multnomah County’s application here from Oregon Public Broadcasting.


Contact Tracing Update

A key element of our public health and economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is contact tracing, which I previously covered in more depth here. The following video tells you more.


Contact Tracing Video 6-5-2020

The goal of contact tracing is to find people who may have been exposed to coronavirus so that they know if they need to isolate themselves and protect others while getting through illness. It is an essential part of preventing community spread, and the Oregon Health Authority has been partnering with community-based organizations to meet the diverse needs of all people in Oregon.

If you are contacted by a contact tracer, here is what you should expect and what you will not be asked.

Who will receive a call?

  • People who have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
  • People who may have been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19.

Contact tracers help you stay healthy and slow the spread of COVID-19 by:

  • Talking with you about how to prevent the spread of the virus, including staying home or at a location provided by public health until the danger has passed. This is known as “quarantining.”
  • Providing health information on how to care for yourself and others if you start having symptoms.
  • Sharing resources available in your community that can support you while you quarantine.

Your information is strictly confidential and will be treated as a confidential public health record. Your information will not be shared with other agencies, including immigration officials. Local and tribal public health authorities will ask:

  • What county you live in.
  • Your date of birth.
  • Your contact information, including phone number, email address, and mailing address.
  • Your occupation.
  • Whether you have symptoms of COVID-19.

Local public and tribal health authorities will never ask for your:

  • Social security number.
  • Immigration status (Note: Information will not be shared with immigration authority or law enforcement. Getting tested or getting treatment for COVID-19 will not affect your ability to get permanent residency in the U.S.).
  • Credit card number, bank account or billing information.

If anyone calls you requesting this information, hang up. This could be someone trying to use your information for a scam.


Contact Tracing Call

The Latest News

  • I recommend this piece in The Oregonian, which takes a look at the future of dining out in the state.
  • The Oregon Health Authority reported 97 more confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 4,442 confirmed cases. There are 4,570 confirmed and presumptive cases combined. Sadly, there have been two more deaths from coronavirus, meaning there have been 161 confirmed deaths in Oregon from coronavirus. As of June 5, Oregon’s cumulative positive testing rate is 3.1% of tests performed. This is considerably lower than the national average of 11%.

OHA COVID-19 Update 6-5-2020

OHA Hospital Capacity 6-5-2020

OHA Weekly Testing Summary 6-5-2020

To read past newsletters, you can go to this link. For up to date information, please check this link to the Oregon Health Authority where regular updates are posted: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/News-Releases.aspx

Please email me at Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov if you have specific concerns that have not been addressed by the OHA. Our office will do all we can to help and protect all Oregonians.

Thank you for reading! We will get through this together.

Best,

Tina

Tina Kotek

State Representative
House District 44
Speaker of the House

email: Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1200
address: 900 Court St NE, H-269, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/kotek