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Over the past few weeks, Oregon has seen a massive surge in COVID-19 cases. Since then, we have broken our record for the most new cases in a single day, and the highest daily average of cases in a week since the pandemic began. Spread of the Delta variant means there are more people getting seriously sick from COVID-19, and our health care workers are exhausted.
This is not the August we hoped to see, but there is good news—we are all experienced in applying the public health measures it takes to stop the spread of this virus. Please take precautions to keep yourself and your community safe from COVID-19 by wearing your mask, watching your distance, limiting your gatherings and washing your hands frequently.
Per guidance from the CDC, the Oregon Heath Authority (OHA) is asking Oregonians to mask up indoors again, regardless of vaccination status. Masks will also be required for our students this fall. Keeping our kids in classrooms is a top priority, and tools like masking and testing can help us achieve that safely–especially for our younger students who are not yet eligible to receive a vaccine.
Masks and vaccines are some of the strongest tools we have against COVID. If you haven’t received a vaccination and have any concerns, please reach out to your primary care physician, or call Lane County Public Health Department with questions. If you have family members who are reluctant to get the vaccine, share with them the reasons that motivated you. Together, we can stop this surge, protect our frontline health care workers, and keep ourselves and our neighbors safe and healthy.
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