December 16th COVID-19 Update

Michael Dembrow

December 16, 2020

I hope that you and your loved ones are doing well, staying healthy, and looking out for your neighbors and friends in these difficult times.

Today marked the beginning of the COVID vaccination process here in Oregon.  It’s an important milestone in the effort to curb the pandemic.  Today we are also getting positive signals about a new stimulus package coming from Congress.

However, we’re also again reminded today of the toll that the pandemic is taking.  After yesterday’s record 54 reported COVID deaths, today we learned of another 48.  Again, many of these date back weeks and even months, the result of counties catching up with their reporting. But many others happened within the last week.

Hospitalization numbers remain high.  Given our new case numbers, the current strain on hospital resources will likely continue for some time.  But at least they’re not rising as dramatically as had been feared. At least not here in Oregon—the national picture remains very bleak.

In tonight’s newsletter you’ll find more information about the upcoming special session, the remainder of this week’s committee hearings, and the rollout of the new vaccines.

Please stay safe, and let me know if you have any questions about today’s newsletter. 

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TODAY’S CORONAVIRUS AND CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE UPDATE

  • New COVID Cases: OHA reports 1,562 new COVID cases today.  This count is a combination of positive test results and those who are presumed positive (see definition below).  The cumulative number of cases in Oregon since the beginning of the pandemic is 97,622.
  • Positive Test Results: OHA reports 1,542 positive test results. The cumulative total of positive test results since the beginning of the pandemic is 136,871.
  • Total Tests: OHA reports an additional 24,681 test results. Our cumulative total of tests is 2,368,409.
  • Positivity Rate: The average positivity rate for Oregon today is 6.2%.  The national ratio today is 13.1%.
  • Deaths: I’m sorry to have to report 48 additional COVID deaths today. You can read about the Oregonians we lost further down in the newsletter. The total number of COVID deaths in Oregon is now 1,262.
  • Hospitalized: OHA reports 100 new COVID hospitalizations. The cumulative number of those who have been hospitalized with COVID is now 5,679.
  • Presumptive Cases: OHA is including “presumptive COVID-19 cases” in its reports, consistent with recently amended guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A presumptive case is someone who does not yet have a positive PCR test but is showing symptoms and has had close contact with a confirmed case. If they later test positive by PCR, those will be recategorized as confirmed cases.   
  • Other Hospital Information:
    • Patients Currently with COVID-19 Symptoms (who may or may not have received a positive test result yet): 620 (21 more than yesterday). Of those, 554 (10 more than yesterday) have already received a positive test back.
    • Available ICU Beds: 138 (4 fewer than yesterday)
    • Other Available Beds: 548 (131 fewer than yesterday).
    • ICU Patients w COVID-19 Symptoms: 122 (3 more than yesterday).
    • COVID-19 Patients Currently on Ventilators: 63 (4 fewer than yesterday).
    • Available Ventilators: 729 (26 more than yesterday).
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  • Today’s National Numbers:
    • Total Tests: 224,505,180 (up 1,767,287 from yesterday).
    • Total Cases: 16,760,997 (up 231,810 from yesterday.)
    • Deaths: 298,775 (up 3,453 from yesterday).

These national numbers come from the COVID Tracking Project.  You can visit that site here.

  • Additional Brief Updates:
    • The first vaccinations of Oregon health care workers began today. Ultimately, between 300,000 and 400,000 health care workers and long-term care facility staff and residents in Oregon are slated for vaccination against COVID-19 during the first phase of the state’s inoculation effort. OHA released a statement today with more details about the rollout of the vaccines.
    • Want to learn more about the COVID vaccines that are currently being rolled out in Oregon? OHA is hosting a Facebook Live Q&A session with medical experts Thursday at 2:30. The Facebook Live will be available in English and in Spanish.  
    • OHA just released the latest COVID-19 Weekly Report. I’ll provide a summary/analysis of it soon. You’ll see that it shows a drop in weekly cases, deaths and people hospitalized for COVID-19 for the first time in weeks. (Unfortunately, next week’s report will show a sizeable increase in deaths and hospitalizations.)
    • We’ve also just received the latest OHA Outbreak Report, with data on COVID-19 cases and deaths in congregate care facilities; workplaces; childcare centers; and K-12 schools.
    • Josh Lehner from the Office of Economic Analysis has a new blog post today that looks at the growing problem of Oregonians unable to make their rent payments. This information reinforces the need for the Legislature to take action on behalf of struggling Oregonians next week.

Special Session Public Hearings Thursday Evening

In preparation for next week’s special session, there will be a public hearing on the four proposed bills Thursday evening at 6-9 p.m. It’s an opportunity for members of the Special Session Committee to hear reactions to the proposals and recommendations for changes from members of the public.  It they’re not able to get through the list of those who have signed up to speak, there will be a further session on Saturday morning (10 a.m.-1 pm). 

The committee will receive public testimony on the following legislative concepts that will be considered during the special session.

  • LC 10 – Restaurant Relief Package
  • LC 18 – Eviction Moratorium Extension and Landlord Compensation Fund
  • LC 21 – School Liability Protections
  • LC 28 – Emergency Fund Allocation

If you want to testify by phone or video, you’ll need to register with the committee administrator.  To sign up, you can either use the online form at this link or call 833-588-4500 for assistance. Registration closes at 1 pm on Thursday, December 17, 2020.

If you want to submit written testimony, do so by email to J3SS.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov. Your comments will be posted online to the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS) and become part of the legislative record and made publicly available at this link. The public record will be kept open for 24 hours after the committee meeting is set to begin.

Please let me know if you need any assistance.

House Committee Meetings This Week

This is the final week of “Leg Days” in 2020, where legislative committees meet (remotely for now) to hear updates on issues of concern and introduce the first round of bills for the next session.  This week is devoted to House hearings.  Unlike the Senate hearings last week, which lasted 3 hours, most of the House committees will have two meetings each, each one lasting 2 hours.  In addition to the House committees, one Joint Committee and one Task Force will be meeting this week as well.

Here's the calendar for this week, with committees listed in alphabetical order (joint committee and task force at the end).  The links will take you to the agenda, meeting materials, and meeting video for each hearing.

Agriculture and Land Use

Behavioral Health

Business and Labor

Economic Development

Education

Energy and Environment

Health Care

Housing

Human Services

Natural Resources

Revenue

Rules

Veterans and Emergency Preparedness

Joint Committee on the I-5 Bridge

Task Force on Access to Quality Affordable Child Childcare

Where Are Today’s New Cases?

If we put together the positive test results and new “presumptive” cases reported today, the overall number of new cases reported for is 1,562.  Here is the breakdown of reported cases by county for today:

Baker (7)

Benton (31)

Clackamas (166)

Clatsop (7)

Columbia (5)

Coos (11)

Crook (4)

Deschutes (50)

Douglas (16)

Gilliam (2)

Hood River (16)

Jackson (64)

Jefferson (29)

Josephine (29)

Klamath (20)

Lake (2)

Lane (105)

Lincoln (5)

Linn (51)

Malheur (16)

Marion (183)

Morrow (8)

Multnomah (455)

Polk (30)

Sherman (2)

Tillamook (12)

Umatilla (34)

Union (9)

Wallowa (1)

Wasco (4)

Washington (148)

Yamhill (33)

And the Deaths

NOTE from OHA: In its daily media release Tuesday, Dec. 15, OHA omitted information on the Oregon’s 1,198th COVID-19 death, a 56-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 20 and died Nov. 27 at Providence Portland Medical Center.

Oregon’s 1,215th COVID-19 death is a 67-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on Dec. 3 and died Dec. 15 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center.

Oregon’s 1,216th COVID-19 death is an 89-year-old man in Clackamas County who died Aug. 9 at his residence.

Oregon’s 1,217th COVID-19 death is a 59-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on Dec. 6 and died Dec. 9 at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center.

Oregon’s 1,218th COVID-19 death is a 91-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on Dec. 11 and died Dec. 13.

Oregon’s 1,219th COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old woman in Clackamas County who died May 24 at Providence Portland Medical Center.

Oregon’s 1,220th COVID-19 death is a 62-year-old man in Clatsop County who tested positive on Nov. 2 and died at SW Washington Medical Center in Vancouver.

Oregon’s 1,221st COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old woman in Benton County who died Nov. 25 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,222nd COVID-19 death is a 52-year-old man in Columbia County who tested positive on Dec. 11 and died Dec. 12 at St. John Medical Center in Longview, Wash.

Oregon’s 1,223rd COVID-19 death is a 64-year-old man in Douglas County who tested positive on Nov. 24 and died Dec. 15 at Mercy Medical Center.

Oregon’s 1,224th COVID-19 death is a 54-year-old man in Jackson County who tested died Aug. 4 at his residence.

Oregon’s 1,225th COVID-19 death is a 94-year-old woman in Josephine County who tested positive on Dec. 3 and died Dec. 14.

Oregon’s 1,226th COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old woman in Lane County who died Aug. 21 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,227th COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Sept. 29 and died Dec. 6 at his residence.

Oregon’s 1,228th COVID-19 death is a 30-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Nov. 26 and died Nov. 30 at McKenzie Willamette Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,229th COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old man in Linn County who tested positive on Nov. 23 and died Dec. 9 at Salem Hospital.

Oregon’s 1,230th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old woman in Linn County who tested positive on Dec. 9 and died Dec. 8.

Oregon’s 1,231st COVID-19 death is a 95-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Sept. 29 and died Dec. 6 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,232nd COVID-19 death is a 52-year-old woman in Marion County who died May 30 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,233rd COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old woman in Multnomah County who died Aug. 7 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,234th COVID-19 death is a 64-year-old man in Multnomah County who died Oct. 29 at his residence.

Oregon’s 1,235th COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old woman in Multnomah County who died Oct. 29 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,236th COVID-19 death is a 91-year-old woman in Multnomah County who died Oct. 31 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,237th COVID-19 death is a 70-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 10 and died Nov. 24.

Oregon’s 1,238th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Oct. 21 and died Oct. 20. Location of death is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 1,239th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov.10 and died Nov. 19 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center.

Oregon’s 1,240th COVID-19 death is a 69-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 13 and died Dec. 5 at his residence.

Oregon’s 1,241st COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 1 and died Dec. 9 at Adventist Hospital.

Oregon’s 1,242nd COVID-19 death is a 50-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 1 and died Dec. 1.

Oregon’s 1,243rd COVID-19 death is an 88-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 11 and died Dec. 15 at Adventist Hospital.

Oregon’s 1,244th COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old woman in Union County who tested positive on Nov. 27 and died Dec. 10 at St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center.

Oregon’s 1,245th COVID-19 death is an 89-year-old woman in Washington County who died Dec. 9 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,246th COVID-19 death is a 94-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on Dec. 10 and died Dec. 12, at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,247th COVID-19 death is a 93-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on Dec. 4 and died Dec. 9 at his residence.

Oregon’s 1,248th COVID-19 death is a 92-year-old woman in Washington County who tested positive on Dec. 4 and died Dec. 13 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,249th COVID-19 death is an 89-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on Nov. 23 and died Dec. 15 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center.

Oregon’s 1,250th COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on Nov. 18 and died Dec. 13 at his residence.

Oregon’s 1,251st COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old man in Yamhill County who tested positive on Nov. 30 and died Dec.13 at his residence.

Oregon’s 1,252nd COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Nov. 24 and died Dec. 9 at Willamette Valley Medical Center.

Oregon’s 1,253rd COVID-19 death is a 94-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Nov. 24 and died Dec. 8 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,254th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Nov. 4 and died Dec. 12 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,255th COVID-19 death is an 86-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Nov. 24 and died Dec. 7 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,256th COVID-19 death is a 91-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Nov. 24 and died Dec. 13 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,257th COVID-19 death is a 98-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Nov. 24 and died Dec. 9 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,258th COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Nov. 24 and died Dec. 10 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,259th COVID-19 death is an 86-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on April 16 and died June 21 at his residence.

Oregon’s 1,260th COVID-19 death is a 62-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Nov. 24 and died Dec. 15 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,261st COVID-19 death is a 95-year-old woman in Washington County who died Dec. 2 at her residence.

Oregon’s 1,262nd COVID-19 death is a 93-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on Dec. 8 and died Dec. 9 at her residence.

Additional Graphs:

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**You can find a breakdown of regional availability here.

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Want to See Past Newsletters?

If there was COVID-related information in a past newsletter that you want to go back to, but find you’ve deleted it, you can always go to my legislative website (senatordembrow.com), click on “News and Information,” and you’ll find them all there.  Also, if someone forwarded you this newsletter and you’d like to get it directly, you can sign up for it there.

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AND FINALLY,

Here again are some resources that you will find useful:

If the above links are not providing you with answers to your questions or directing you to the help that you need, please consider me and my office to be a resource.  We’ll do our best to assist you or steer you in the right direction. 

Best,

dembrow signature

Senator Michael Dembrow
District 23


email: Sen.MichaelDembrow@oregonlegislature.gov
web: www.senatordembrow.com
phone: 503-986-1723
mail: 900 Court St NE, S-407, Salem, OR, 97301