Important Mask and Heat Safety Updates

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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

This week, we are facing a variety of challenges impacting our health. COVID-19 hospitalizations are at record highs, temperatures are expected to reach triple digits, and air quality is a challenge in large parts of Oregon due to smoke from the wildfires. Below are updates and resources so that you can be prepared for each of these.  Please remember that we are in this together - check on those more vulnerable to the heat, the smoke, or the virus. 

Please enjoy the upcoming weekend, which I hope brings relaxation with family and friends.  Stay safe and please keep in touch.  I would love to hear from you so we know what is on your mind and in your heart!

Rep. McLain


National Immunization Awareness Month!

National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages.  Given the current trajectory of the Delta variant and the risk it poses to unvaccinated Oregonians, it is important to remind people that vaccines are safe, effective, and save lives. Unvaccinated people make up the majority of COVID cases, and certainly the vast majority of severe COVID cases, which are once again driving up hospitalizations, infections, and death rates. Please see the "Vaccine Information" section below to find out where you can get a COVID-19 vaccine near you.

Vaccines awareness month!


 

Updated Mask Guidelines for Oregon

 

Governor Kate Brown Announces Statewide Indoor Mask Requirements

*Urges Oregonians to get vaccinated, wear masks to help stop spread of the Delta variant
 

(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown held a press conference today to provide an update on the status of COVID-19 in Oregon and to announce new statewide indoor mask requirements. To help stop the highly contagious Delta variant from spreading further, masks will be required in all indoor public settings, effective Friday, August 13. The Governor was joined by Patrick Allen, Director of the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), and Dr. Dean Sidelinger, State Epidemiologist.

“Because of the Delta variant, yesterday we had over 2,300 COVID-19 cases reported––the highest number since the virus first landed in Oregon—and hospitalizations are also at a record high,” said Governor Brown. “New modeling from OHA and Oregon Health & Science University project that, without new safety interventions, COVID-19 hospitalizations will completely overwhelm our doctors and nurses in the coming weeks. When hospitals run out of beds, we are all at risk.

“We continue to work to reach Oregonians with information and a vaccine, but it’s clear the current situation requires immediate action to stop the Delta variant from spreading further. That’s why, moving forward for the immediate future, masks will be required in all indoor public settings.

“The latest science is clear that both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals are able to spread the Delta variant. Masks are simple, and they are effective. Wearing a mask should give you confidence that you are not infecting others, and they are also our best bet at keeping our schools and our businesses open.”

The Governor also reminded Oregonians to treat forecast high temperatures seriously. She urged Oregonians without air conditioning to make a plan now to find a cooling center in their area by connecting with 211. She is also encouraging Oregonians to sign up to receive emergency notifications by visiting ORAlert.gov. And with high temperatures intensifying wildfire conditions, she is urging everyone to do their part to prevent fires at a time when most of the state is under extreme fire danger.

Oregon Indoor Mask Requirement Fact Sheet



 

Vaccine Information

vaccine sticker

Washington Co. Vaccine Information:

Every Oregonian age 12 and up is eligible for a vaccine. Twelve to 14 year-olds must be accompanied by either a parent, guardian or someone designated by the parent. If someone other than a parent or guardian accompanies the 12 to 14-year-old, they will need to provide proof of parental/guardian consent. 

Proof of consent is either:

  • A signed consent form (available in English and Spanish on the All4OR.org site) 
  • A written or typed note that includes the parent/guardians name, relationship to the young adult, their date of birth, a statement saying they consent to young adult being vaccinated and the parent/guardian signature.

Fifteen-year-olds do not need to be accompanied, and do not require parental consent in the state of Oregon.

NEW! Washington County's Mobile Vaccination Van: Our van is traveling the county to make it easier for people to get the vaccine close to where they live or shop. Find the schedule here.

Beaverton Resource Center: Most Fridays from July 16 through September 24. See the flier for exact dates and times. Pfizer for ages 12 and older. Located at 13565 SW Walker Road.

Vaccine locations in WashCo

 

Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Centers: All vaccination events are open to the community, do not require an appointment, and do not require you to be a Virginia Garcia patient. You do not have to have insurance in order to receive a vaccine. If you have insurance, please bring your card with you. Remember, vaccines are free!

Local pharmacies: As of April 27, 2021, pharmacies are required to offer second/boost doses to people who received their first dose somewhere else.

How much does the vaccine cost?  Vaccines are provided free of charge to the recipient. If you have health insurance, you may be asked to provide that information so the vaccinator can bill your insurance an administration fee.

Vaccines are effective!

 

Vaccination Progress 

US Vaccination Progress
Oregon Vaccination Progress


 

COVID-19 Updates and Information

 

National Numbers: 

  • Confirmed Cases: 36,308,259
  • Deaths: 618,701
  • These national numbers come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  You can view their national and state by state data here.
national covid numbers
Covid rates from July to August

 

Oregon Status Report: 

  • Oregon now has 234,393 total cases (confirmed and presumptive) of COVID-19.
  • Today we have 1,407 new confirmed and presumptive cases, and 6 new deaths
  • A total of 2,944 Oregonians have died from COVID-19 (previous daily case updates from OHA here)
  • Washington County has 28,790 confirmed cases, including 259 deaths.  
  • The Oregon Health Authority provides a Public Health Indicators Dashboard to enable communities across Oregon to monitor COVID-19 in the state. The dashboard, which will be updated weekly on Thursdays, provides a transparent report that presents complex epidemiological data in an interactive, easy-to-understand way on a state and county level
Oregon covid rates

Oregon hospitalizations

 

COVID-19 spike could leave state 500 hospital beds short of needs

This summary comes from a story in the Forest Grove News-Times/Portland Tribune

The COVID-19 delta variant is spreading so fast that it will hit most of the state's unvaccinated population before the six weeks needed to be fully immunized if they were inoculated now.

"We are looking at a giant wave that is all taking place over the next four weeks," said Peter Graven, a top data scientist at Oregon Health & Science University.

Graven presented a forecast Tuesday, Aug. 10, showing about 1,100 people with COVID-19 will need hospitalization by the time the current wave of infections peaks around Sept. 7. Oregon could be as many as 500 staffed hospital beds short of what will be needed to treat patients hospitalized for any reason.

Oregon on Tuesday reported 635 COVID-19 cases in state hospitals, setting a new record for the pandemic. The previous high was 584 people on Nov. 30, 2020. The current wave has already set new records for infected patients in Intensive Care Unit beds. On Tuesday, there were 164. About 90% of those hospitalized are unvaccinated, Graven said.

The speed of the delta variant has astounded health officials, who said each infected person infects eight other unvaccinated people. Previous versions of COVID-19 didn't exceed a 1-to-3 infection ratio.

"Being vaccinated now is too late for this surge," said Dr. Renee Edwards, chief medical officer of the Oregon Health & Science University.

Edwards said observation of patients suggests the delta variant makes unvaccinated people sicker than earlier versions. Even though many patients admitted to the hospital are in a younger 30 to 50 age group, the overall result has been rapidly increasing numbers of cases requiring more and longer medical care.

 

How can I protect my unvaccinated family members?

Some people are wondering how to protect family members who aren’t vaccinated. The first thing you can do is get vaccinated yourself. Vaccination will reduce your risk of getting COVID-19. It can also reduce the risk of spreading it.  

If you have people in your family who are 12 years or older, help them get vaccinated against COVID-19. If they have doubts, talking to a trusted health care provider may help them decide. 

The next best thing you can do is wear a mask. Wearing a mask will maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others. 

Any family members, including children two years and older, will now be required to mask in all indoor public settings. However, children younger than two should never wear a mask. 

People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken their immune system may NOT be protected even if they are fully vaccinated. They should continue to take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people, including wearing a well-fitted mask, until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider.  

You can also reduce the risk by choosing safer activities.  

  • Outdoor activities are safer than indoor ones.  
  • If you are indoors, choose a location that is well ventilated, for example a room with open windows, and wear a mask.
  • Avoid activities that make it hard to stay 6 feet away from others.
  • Limit visits with people who are not vaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.
  • Keep distance between your unvaccinated child and other people in public.

Regardless of which safer activities your family chooses, remember to protect yourself and others



 

Extreme Heat Resources

 

Cooling Center Information During The Heat Wave

With the upcoming heat wave please check on your neighbors if you can, especially older adults, homebound or anyone with underlying health conditions. 

Map of cooling centers in Washington County (Link)

Cooling Center Information (English/Spanish)

Transportation Assistance & Cooling Center Information Document (English/Spanish

 

Tri-Met Logo

TRI-MET Provides Free Rides to Cooling Centers 

As a National Weather Service Excessive Heat Warning goes into effect Wednesday at 12 p.m. in the Greater Portland Metro Area and cooling sites open, TriMet encourages anyone who might need relief from the excessive heat to ride TriMet to and from a cooling site, even if they can't pay fare. They won't be denied a ride or get a ticket if traveling to or from a cooling center and cannot afford fare.

Riders will want to plan extra time and check trimet.org/alerts before traveling. There may be delays to TriMet service due to the excessive heat.

Learn about TriMet operations during excessive heat, including adjustments to our MAX and WES systems, at trimet.org/heat.

 

Heat-related illnesses

Keep dogs out of the heat


 

Wildfire Updates and Resources

 

Prepare for wildfire smoke by refilling prescriptions early

During wildfire smoke events we sometimes see an increase in visits to emergency departments for asthma-like illness and inhaler refills. Keeping extra medication on hand and refilling medication as soon as you are able at the pharmacy keeps you safe and healthy. It can also prevent trips to the emergency department.

Learn how to prepare an emergency kit at https://www.ready.gov/kit.

If you’ve experienced wildfires and smoke events, and would like support, help is available 24 hours a day. Visit http://safestrongoregon.org or http://linesforlife.org.

Fill your prescriptions early for emergencies

 

 

Have an Evacuation Plan!

With wildfires burning in different parts of the state please take some time to be #WildfireAware. Part of that is knowing what the different evacuation levels mean. Be Ready, Be Set, GO! #WildfirePreparedness #Oregon LEARN MORE: https://wildfire.oregon.gov

Evacuation preparation
Stronger Together Logo

Mental Health Resources for Wildfire Survivors

The one-year mark of the 2020 wildfires is approaching, even as new wildfires rage across the state. These current fires have brought smoke and potential evacuations that may trigger anxiety and PTSD for last year's wildfire survivors.

Feelings such as overwhelming anxiety, constant worrying, trouble sleeping, and other depression-like symptoms are
common responses before, during and after wildfires - especially for those who endured these events. If you or
someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, you are not alone. Here are some 24/7 resources for
support and counseling:

Visit Disaster Distress Helpline or call/text 800-985-5990 for immediate crisis counseling related to a disaster.

Visit Safe Strong Oregon or call 800-923-HELP (4357), which can connect you with help in your immediate area.

Visit the National Center for PTSD to help locate Veterans Affairs and mental health services in your area.

Visit the American Red Cross for resources on recovering emotionally from a disaster.

 

Wildfire Recovery Resources

OEM has put together this list of contacts to help speed up the process of replacing these documents:

The Governor’s office has put together a Wildfire Resources page that you can access from the Governor’s home page.  It has links to many of the most important updates about the status of fires and resources for evacuees.  This website will be updated regularly.  

Legal ResourcesOregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Program, Oregon lawyers, through the Oregon State Bar, are partnering with FEMA and the American Red Cross to provide legal assistance on FEMA claims, contract claims, insurance claims, landlord-tenant matters and more.

The Department of Forestry’s Wildfire Response and Recovery Overview has ongoing updates about firefighting efforts, damage reports, and more.  

FEMA UpdatesFEMA has provided several different Fact Sheets and resources for accessing benefits, determining eligibility and avoiding scams.



 

Around Western Washington County!

 

Around Washington County I have been meeting with elected officials and groups that are working on support for our houseless population.  We hope to provide services that are more comprehensive and extensive in our area. 

I also attended an education meeting for three days that had teachers, students, and faculty members.  We discussed national and international issues that many policy conversations will be built from on many levels.

Education conference

 

Centro Cultural Back-to-School Drive

Centro needs your help collecting school supplies for students to go back to school this fall! From August 9-23, you can donate new school supplies at a variety of locations around Washington County. We want all of our students to be ready and excited to go back to school and having all the right school supplies will be a huge part of that! 

Back to School Drive

Supplies Needed 

- Colored pencils
- Pencils
- Pencil Pouch
- Pencil Sharpener
- Wide Ruled Notebooks
- Backpacks
- Post It Notes/ Flashcards
- School Folders
- Highlighters
- Water Bottles

For a list of drop-off locations, click here

 

Sports Logo

Fall Sports are Here! 

Monday, August 16, 2021 is the first official day of the OSAA Fall Sports season!  Forest Grove students interested in playing Football, Volleyball, Soccer, Cross Country or Club Waterpolo need to register on www.familyid.com.

See the flyer below for information on the Neighborhood Health Center's Community Health Fair.  This is a great opportunity to get a free physical for your child before sports season officially begins.

 

Sixth Annual Community Health Fair

Join the Sixth Annual Community Health Fair on August 14!

A free event featuring:
• Physicals/well-child exams
• COVID vaccine and school-aged immunizations
• Dental screenings
• Blood pressure and glucose screenings
• Produce stand
• OHP and health insurance enrollment help
• Kids safety talk from Hillsboro Police
• And more!

Community Health Fair


 

Infrastructure News

 

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has passed the United States Senate and now awaits a vote in the House.  If passed, it would result in a historic investment in our country's vast and diverse infrastructure. The legislation includes around $550 billion in new federal investment in America’s roads and bridges, water infrastructure, resilience, internet, and more.  

For decades, infrastructure in Oregon has suffered from a systemic lack of
investment. In fact, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Oregon a C- grade on its
infrastructure report card. The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will make life
better for millions of Oregon residents, create a generation of good-paying union jobs and
economic growth, and position the United States to win the 21st century.

For a fact sheet and to read more about the bill, click here

Infrastructure bill passes!


 

Coming VERY Soon: Redistricting!

 

Redistricting flyer
Redistricting Flyer in Spanish


 

Unemployment Department Updates

 

Benefits:  We’ve paid $10.5 billion in benefits to more than 609,000 people from March 15, 2020 – August 10, 2021.  Last week, we paid about $95 million to 121,000 people.

Pandemic-Related, Temporary Federal Benefit Programs Ending:  The pandemic-related federal unemployment benefit programs are ending.  The programs that are ending include Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC), and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC).

REMEMBER: The last eligible week for pandemic related federal benefits is the week ending September 4, 2021.

PUA applicants will have until October 5, 2021, to backdate their claim for eligible weeks prior to the end of the program.

  • Those who filed their initial claim on or before December 27, 2020, may be able to backdate their weeks to Feb. 8, 2020 if eligible.
  • Those who filed their claim after December 27, 2020, may be able to backdate their week to Dec. 12, 2020, if eligible.

We recommend that all claimants use WorkSource Oregon services and make a plan for their next step.

The Employment Department will hold a webinar on August 19 at 1 p.m. focused on the ending of pandemic-related federal programs and the resources available to Oregonians.

Visit our resources web page for more information on available services and programs for workers, employers, and those that are self-employed. These resources include:

Debt Collection ActivitiesFederal law requires us to pursue collection of improperly paid benefits.  After a long pause, the Employment Department will restart active debt collection activities on debt that was already pending legal action when the pandemic began.

In mid-March 2020, the Employment Department stopped active debt collections, which means we:

  • Suspended wage garnishments for those who lost their jobs
  • Did not pursue warrants, garnishments, and liens for individuals who were in active collections prior to the pandemic
  • Continued sending billing statements to those with outstanding debts, but debt recovery occurred only through voluntary repayments
  • Created a UI Tax COVID abatement relief program for employers.

As we move back to actively recovering improperly paid benefits, we encourage those with an overpayment to request a waiver or hardship deferment.

Request a waiver or hardship deferment at unemployment.oregon.gov.

Employer required vaccinations and how they could impact benefits:  As more employers require their workers to be vaccinated, Oregonians are asking how this may impact unemployment benefits if a worker quits or is terminated due to the requirement. Here is what workers and employers should know:

  • All unemployment claims and circumstances are unique, and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
  • If there is a separation and the worker files for unemployment benefits, the department will investigate all of the factors that contributed to the separation, including but not limited to vaccine refusal, to determine benefit eligibility.
  • The department will also evaluate if claimants looking for work are willing to be vaccinated or use reasonable alternative protections in order to accept potential employment.
  • Exemptions may apply for workers who have a deeply held religious belief, are medically unable to get the vaccine, or exempt under ORS Chapter 433 or a collective bargaining agreement.
  • The Oregon Employment Department is closely watching what is happening with the Delta variant, vaccination requirements for state employees, and adjusting our safety protocols as the pandemic changes.

We remain thankful to our dedicated employees who have and continue to go above and beyond for Oregonians and to adjust to the ever-changing policies and procedures that we and the State of Oregon implement for theirs and others safety.



 

Deadline 8/15: Sign up for Oregon Health Plan 

 

People in Oregon can get 2021 health insurance until Aug. 15

If you don’t qualify for Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and you don’t have insurance through your work, you can sign up for an individual or family plan at the Oregon Marketplace. The deadline for 2021 coverage is Aug. 15. To learn more, visit OregonHealthCare.gov or call 855-268-3767 (toll-free) to find free, local help.

Sign up for Oregon Health Plan

 

Additional Resources

 

Employers and Employees

The following list of resources is from Oregon’s Secretary of State’s Office. The fastest way to get in touch with the SOS team is by emailing business.sos@oregon.gov, using the “Need Help?” button found on most state agency websites or visiting www.oregon.gov/smallbusiness.

Education Links

Local Government

Utilities Assistance

Food and Housing Assistance


Governor

Emergency

Oregon Health Authority

CDC

Flowers

Yours truly,

Representative Susan McLain

Representative Susan McLain
House District 29

email: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1429
address: 900 Court St NE, H-376, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain