Category: Information

Testing positive for COVID-19 can make anyone feel nervous. Knowing what to do when you get a positive test result is important for your health and the health of people around you. The first thing to know is that you should do the same things whether you are fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, or unvaccinated.

Since Oregon is currently experiencing a large number of COVID-19 cases, it is straining case investigation and contact tracing  resources. This means you may not receive a phone call from your health department after you test positive.

Here’s what to do if you have COVID-19:

Stay home and stay separate from others.

• If you have symptoms you can be around others after:
  • You have no fever for 24 hours without the use of medicine, AND
  • Your symptoms improve, AND
  • At least 10 days have passed since your first symptoms.
• If you don’t have symptoms you can be around others after:
  • 10 days have passed since your test, and you have no symptoms.
  • Tell your close contacts right away so they can isolate and stop the spread.

Tell your close contacts right away

The sooner you let anyone you came in close contact with before your diagnosis know, the sooner they can take action to stop the spread, including quarantining if not fully vaccinated.  

• If you had or have symptoms: Contact the people you were in close contact with beginning 2 days before your symptoms began. 
• If you did not or do not have symptoms: Contact the people you were in close contact with beginning 2 days before you took your COVID-19 test. 

If you need help you can :

• Call your local public health department if you need support to isolate.
• Call 211 for information on vaccinations, testing, and other resources
• Call your health care provider if you’re concerned that your symptoms are not improving.
• Call 911 if you have these severe symptoms:
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Pain or pressure in the chest or belly
  • Unable to drink or keep liquids down
  • New confusion or inability to wake up
  • Bluish lips or face

Read more about how to isolate or quarantine here. If you would like support or resources in multiple languages you can visit OHA’s Safe + Strong website, or call the Safe + Strong Helpline at 1-800-923-HELP (4357).

The feelings of grief, loss and loneliness that we may have right now are normal. The loss of each of our loved ones is painful and the impacts ripple outward. We are also mourning and handling many other kinds of losses.

A lot of us have been wearing masks for a while.  If you have kids over age two, chances are they’re great at it too.   

As parents, we’re asked to do a lot to keep our kids safe.  It’s been especially true through this pandemic.  It is normal to feel anxious, unsure and tired.  With school starting so soon, it’s okay to feel uncertain about how to talk to kids about masking.  OHA’s statewide rule for 2021-22 school year requires face coverings in all indoor school settings, both public and private, for all people two years and older, including all students, staff, contractors, volunteers and visitors.    

Here are some tips to support your kids to feel confident in choosing to mask up at school:  

• Kids pick up on our moods even before we’re aware of them. Having a talk with your kids about their feelings and worries is a great first step. Acknowledging those emotions and working together helps everyone feel supported.  

• By now, your kids know why wearing a mask is important. (Thank you so much!) Kids love helping. For younger kids, try and find the positive reasons why wearing a mask is important.  
• Model masking yourself and through others by talking about other heroes who wear masks. Heroes like doctors and nurses and health care professionals wear masks! Your kids may respond best to superheroes or cartoon characters.  
• Practice effective masking at home. Practice putting on and taking off masks in front of a mirror. Have fun adjusting the straps and nose pieces. Younger kids love playing teacher, you could do an art project together while wearing your masks.  
• Encourage them and notice good masking behavior. No matter the age, let them know that you’re proud of them and that they should be proud of themselves! Thank them for being amazing helpers and friends.  
• Prepare them for mask free times such as lunch or recess. Let your children know it’s okay to take off their masks when they’re eating and drinking with others. You’re already doing an amazing job teaching them to be comfortable with their bodies. A mask is just another side of it.  

• Practice talking about masking: When at school, your kids will meet friends who have different ideas about masking. Be open and honest about your family culture and your feelings. Role-playing is a great way to problem solve and practice together. There are so many great and kind ways to build confidence in masking as a safe practice with statements like, “I like my mask. I feel safe with it on, and I hope you to feel safe with me too.” No matter what, let them know there are safe adults who will support them in school.  
• Prepare yourself for the after-school check in. It’s okay to want to ask if they felt safe and if they had problems with their mask that you could solve together. Let it be a part of the conversation.  
• Talk to your teacher about masking encouragement, enforcement and support. Honest conversations do so much and may help navigate all those emotions we’re feeling.   

You can read more about wearing a mask at school here.   

Masks Required Indoors Statewide – Begins Friday, August 13

This morning Governor Kate Brown announced a statewide mask requirement for all indoor public settings, including businesses, regardless of vaccination status, effective this Friday, August 13. The new mandate comes as COVID-19 hospitalizations break records throughout the state due to the highly transmissible delta variant.
 
Yesterday, 264 positive cases were reported in Lane County within 24 hours – the highest one day total for the county since the pandemic began in 2020.
 
The number of hospitalizations of Lane County residents with COVID-19 is also exceeding daily census counts observed during the winter surge and stressing the capacity of our local hospital system. Lane County, as Oregon’s second largest regional hospital hub, is receiving patients from other counties in Southwest Oregon. Statewide hospital capacity for COVID-19 patients is concerning as over 590 individuals were hospitalized in Oregon on August 9, 2021, over 150 of whom were in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds. You may remember that 300 hospitalized COVID-19 patients was previously considered a critical data point for the state.
 
Breakthrough cases (fully or partially vaccinated individuals who subsequently test positive for COVID-19) make up roughly 20% of the current cases.
 
Vaccination remains our most important tool in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly when coupled with masking and social distancing, and significantly reduces the risk of severe disease. You can view information on vaccination availability (including primary care providers and pharmacy partners) and clinics on Lane County’s website.

Lane County Public Health Offers $50 Gift Card to Anyone Who Receives a Vaccine at an LCPH Vaccination Clinic

Effective today, Lane County Public Health (LCPH) will offer $50 Visa cards to anyone over the age of 12 who receives a vaccine from a Lane County Public Health vaccine clinic. The first clinic the $50 incentive will be offered at is this evening from 4-6 PM at Churchill High School and is open to all community members. 

The $50 incentive is ONLY offered at LCPH vaccine clinics. It is not available at the Community Health Centers of Lane County, pharmacies, or other provider clinics. 

FAQs:

• Who is eligible?: All unvaccinated Lane County residents over the age of 12. 
• How does it work?: The $50 will be issued in the form of a Visa card at the time of vaccination that can be used anywhere that accepts Visa. Participants will receive $50 per dose (1 card for the first dose, 1 card for the second dose)
• What about the 1-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine?: Johnson & Johnson recipients will only receive one $50 card. 
• Is there a household limit?: No. all individuals over the age of 12 in a household are eligible to receive a $50 card. 
  
  A complete list of LCPH clinics is available online.

OHSU Statement on COVID-19 Forecast and Delta Variant

The delta variant of COVID-19 is extremely contagious, and Oregon is now facing a spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations because of it. When our hospitals are full, all Oregonians are at risk.

The latest data on the delta variant and its predicted impact on Oregon is dire. By Labor Day, Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) predicts that the state will be short 400-500 needed staffed hospital beds. This means that some Oregonians will not be able to get hospital care for COVID-19 or any other condition.

Cases are rapidly rising and the current forecast predicts that Oregon will have more than 1,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients by Labor Day. This is the worst-case scenario that Oregonians worked so hard to avoid since March of 2020.

See the complete statement from OHSU regarding the state’s COVID-19 standing. 

Lane County residents can schedule a vaccine appointment directly by visiting the Lane County COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics webpage. You can also schedule an appointment at one of many local pharmacy providers. See links to participating pharmacies. Take the first appointment available to you whether from Lane County, your primary care provider or your pharmacy. 

Lane County Public Health Resumes Weekly COVID-19 Press Conferences

In order to provide greater clarity around the recent rise in COVID-19 cases, communicate what tools will enable our community to mitigate this rise, and help local media partners have greater access to public health professionals, Lane County Public Health has resumed weekly press conferences.

The first press conference was held today, and will take place every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Community members and members of the media are welcome to watch and interact by logging on to the Lane County Health & Human Services Facebook Page where the conferences will be broadcast live. 

The videos will also be available afterwards on the Lane County Government Vimeo page.

COVID-19 Resources

See a list of Community Resources for physical and mental health, food, housing, businesses, employees, schools and children, as well as information in Spanish.

Also learn how you can help. Our partners have a significant amount of information available online. Please visit these resources for the most up to date information:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• State of Oregon
• Oregon Health Authority
• Lane County Public Health

Lane County Call Center: Open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., 541-682-1380

Today, Governor Brown announced statewide indoor mask requirements. Indoor mask use will be mandatory starting Friday, Aug. 13, in response to surging COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Additionally, it’s become clear that gatherings should take place outside as much as possible.

We all hoped the days of regular mask-wearing were a thing of the past for vaccinated Oregonians. Unfortunately, the Delta variant has changed that.

Based on the modeling released this week from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), August and September will challenge all of us, because it’s clear that the pandemic is surging back. The fifth wave is much more severe than could have been anticipated just weeks ago.

Medical experts now know that the Delta variant of COVID-19 creates a larger viral load in our systems and the virus stays in our systems longer. This means it’s far more contagious.

Today, Oregon smashed its previous record for hospitalizations due to the virus with 635 people in hospitals across the state. The previous record was 584 last November. We are on pace to exceed the number of available hospital beds in the state by around 500 patients by early September, per OHSU projections. Today’s record number of hospitalizations is a stark reminder that the pandemic isn’t over and that the Delta variant, which is now the dominant variant circulating in Oregon, is 2–3 times more infectious than early COVID-19 variants.

This means our hospital capacity is as low as it’s ever been. While this is a risk for COVID patients, it’s also an enormous risk for other Oregonians who are sick or need surgery but won’t have access to a hospital bed.

If you are unvaccinated, please get vaccinated as quickly as possible. Vaccines are safe, effective and widely available. While it’s discouraging to see some breakthrough cases, vaccinated people are still much less likely to get severely ill or die. The CDC noted this week that 99.999% of fully vaccinated Americans have not had a deadly COVID-19 breakthrough case.

Vaccines are also the best way to prevent the growth of a new variant that may be stronger than Delta. Let’s all commit to stopping the next variant!

While this news is certainly distressing, let’s remember that we’ve successfully flattened the curve four times. Now, we must do it again. Try to be as cautious as you can – double-mask, stay home, do all the things that have kept us safe so far.

Recommendation on additional vaccine dose for immunocompromised people in Oregon

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) have recommended an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine be administered to people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems.

Before the additional dose can be administered to immunocompromised patients in Oregon, the CDC recommendation must be reviewed and approved by the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, which meets today, Aug. 13.

The workgroup’s decision will be published on OHA’s website as soon as it is available.

School-Based Health Centers and Vaccinations

School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) are a vital community tool for supporting young people’s health and well-being. Located in schools or on school grounds, these clinics provide medical care, behavioral health services and, often, dental services to school-aged youth. Oregon has over 75 SBHCs across the state which makes them easily accessible for many families.   
SBHCs can make sure that your child is prepared to start the school year healthy. They offer well-child visits and can ensure that children are caught up on the immunizations required for school.  The health care staff is also ready and willing to answer your questions about vaccination. And if your child is 12 or older, an SBHC can also provide them with the COVID-19 vaccine.  
To learn more about SBHCs, check out the full story on the Oregon Vaccine News blog.

Helping children wear masks

While masking has become a routine practice for many of us, kids who are mostly at home have been able to avoid wearing masks for long periods. With school starting soon, some kids may need a little help getting comfortable with masking up. Masks will be required for Kindergarten through 12thgrade in Oregon.  

Children who are sensitive may find it difficult to become comfortable with wearing a mask. Dr. Elizabeth Super, a pediatrician at Oregon Health & Science University’s Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, wrote a great article called, From “No!” to Masking Pro: Helping Your Hesitant Child Mask Up,on the Oregon Pediatric Society’s website.

Dr. Super gives the following tips as a as a pediatrician and a parent of two school age children:

• Encourage: The more you wear the mask, the better! 
• Model: Put masks on your children’s teddy bears and draw pictures with masks. Point out celebrities and athletes who are wearing masks if you are watching television together. 
• Positive Reinforcement: Reward for mask time ON, not for the mask being off. 
• Routine: Make masking part of your routine. Try out different masks. Some children prefer different textures. Have children pick out fabrics to sew home-made masks. 
• Storytelling: “Other heroes wear masks, too! Firefighters, pilots, and doctors wear masks.  Now you can be a hero and wear a mask, too.” 

For specific advice on how to help younger children mask up, check out Kids & Masks: The Why & How 5 tips to help your child wear a face mask or covering.

Find more masking tips at Mask Up Oregon Kids. 

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Lane County Community Wildfire Protection Plan

Ember Awareness Checklist Poster

Approved Street Tree List and Planting Guide

Excessive Heat Warning in Effect: Dangerously hot conditions expected Sunday and Monday.

LOCAL Resources

We will be posting information about cooling centers and other resources here for the duration of this extreme weather event as part of our work on the Lane Coalition of Organizations Active in Disaster Response.

Eugene

• The Lane Events Center, Expo Hall 2 and Convention Center rooms 3 and 4. Will be open  9 a.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday, June 26th and Sunday, June 27th.
• The Eugene Service Station will be open (8:30am-5pm 7 days/week) and First Place Family Center (8-5) will have water when visiting the folks in overnight and safe parking spots.
• All water fountains and splash pads in Eugene are turned on for summer. Splash pads are available at:
  • Fairmount Park (E. 15th Ave. and Fairmount Blvd. )
  • Oakmont Park (2295 Oakmont Way )
  • Skinner Butte Park (248 Cheshire Ave. )
  • Washington Park (2025 Washington St. )
• The Downtown Library is open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday, closed on Sunday. Regular services are available. People can cool off while browsing, and 1-hour time slots are available for people to use a computer or access wi-fi. The second floor of the Library will have 14 spaces marked out that are 6×6 feet and can accommodate four people per group (max of 56 people at a time).
• Black Thistle Street Aid will be at Washington Jefferson Park on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. distributing water and other supplies as long as they last.
• The Alluvium canceled Lost Caboose Talent Night for Sunday 4pm-8pm and are instead making it into a cooling center, 810 W 3rd Ave, Eugene
• Hilyard Community Center will open from 12pm tp 7pm on Sunday

Springfield

• Water Misters beneath City Hall, 225 Fifth Street in Springfield. Available from 2 pm to 8 pm each day starting Saturday, June 26.
• Water bottle filling station beneath City Hall, 225 Fifth Street in Springfield. Available from 2 pm to 7 pm each day starting Saturday, June 26.
• Splash will be open:

• Saturday 11AM–3PM and 3:30–7:30PM
• Sunday 11AM–3PM and 3:30–7:30PM

For more Lane County resources, visit http://www.lanecounty.org/HHS

For other counties, visit https://www.klcc.org/post/cooling-centers-klcc-listening-area

As we ease into a holiday weekend, many people in Oregon who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will continue to wear a mask in public places. For those fully vaccinated people who want to take their mask off where allowed with proof of vaccination, please remember:

• Your original COVID-19 vaccination card (photo or photo-copy okay) is the best proof of vaccination.
• If you don’t have that card, replacement cards may not be available but there are other forms of acceptable alternative COVID-19 vaccination proof. Proof of vaccination must have your name, date of birth, and date and type of COVID-19 vaccine. 
  • You may be able to print a record of your vaccinations from your personal electronic healthcare record on your provider’s website such as My Chart (you may need to black out other information on the record that you don’t want to share);
  • Request a copy of your immunization record from Oregon’s ALERT IIS registry (Call 211 for help; be prepared to wait at last five days before receiving record); or
  • Ask your health care provider to print out your immunization record and mail it to you or ask to pick it up if that is quicker.

If you don’t have proof of vaccination, you can still enter an establishment but you must wear a mask and physically distance. Have a safe weekend!

ALL PERSONS AGE 12+ ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A COVID-19 VACCINE.

Pfizer is approved for ages 12 and over
Moderna is approved for ages 18 and over
Johnson & Johnson is approved for ages 18 and over.  

Need a copy of your Vaccine Record?

Your immunization was recorded in the state ALERT immunization record system. If you need a copy of your vaccine information the quickest and easiest way is to complete the form below and email to alertiis@state.or.us or print and mail to:

   
    ALERT IIS
    800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 370
    Portland, Oregon 97232
 

You can also request a copy of records from your pharmacy or primary care provider who can access the ALERT system records.
 

Form for requesting records.

More information on ALERT immunization records can be found here.

Every person who chooses to get vaccinated brings us all a step closer to moving past the COVID-19 pandemic. As a trusted messenger to your family and friends, you can play a role in their decision to vaccinate.   Here are some tips on having conversations about the COVID-19 vaccine.

1. LISTEN TO THEIR QUESTIONS WITH EMPATHY

COVID-19 vaccines are new, and it’s normal for people to have questions about them. The sheer amount of information—and misinformation—about COVID-19 vaccines can be overwhelming to anyone. You can help by listening without judgment and identifying the root of their concerns. Acknowledge their emotions so they know they have been heard.

2. ASK OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE THEIR CONCERNS

Open-ended questions are meant to get more than a yes-or-no answer.  Asking open-ended questions can help you understand what your friend or family member is worried about, where they learned any troubling information, and what they have done to get answers to their questions. For example, you can ask, “How did watching that news report make you feel? What did you do next?”

Do not be judgmental and respectfully ask questions that help you understand their concerns. For example, avoid things like, “That’s a silly concern,” or “Why would you be worried about that?”  

3. ASK PERMISSION TO SHARE INFORMATION

Once you understand your friend or family member’s question or concern, ask if you can provide some information, tell them where you get information you trust and be careful not to push information on them. You can find answers to common questions from reputable sources, including the CDC, the FDA, Oregon Health Authority, Lane County Public Health, or other trusted sources such as their doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Lane County is hosting Doctor’s office hours on Facebook where they can attend virtually and ask questions of local providers.  

Sometimes, sharing quick, accurate answers to common concerns your family or friends might have can go a long way toward moving someone from worry to confidence. If you don’t know the answer to their questions, consider offering to help look for information.

4. HELP THEM FIND THEIR OWN REASON TO GET VACCINATED

Everyone who chooses to get vaccinated does it for a reason—to protect their family, to protect their children, to be less anxious, to visit their parents, or to get back to activities like seeing friends, resuming work, or returning to school. After addressing concerns with empathy, respect and facts, you can steer the conversation from “why not” to the important reasons that matter to them—their “why.” You may choose to share your reasons for getting vaccinated or discuss common goals you may have, like visiting with each other safely. The reasons that someone may choose to get vaccinated will always be those that are most compelling to them personally.

5. HELP MAKE THEIR VACCINATION HAPPEN

Once someone decides on their “why,” help them make a commitment to get vaccinated. Help make the path to vaccination shorter, easier, and less stressful for them. Offer to help your family member or friend make a vaccination appointment at a location nearby and, if needed, go with them to the appointment. Offer to help with transportation or to babysit if they need childcare.   Upcoming walk-in clinics and appointment scheduling are available here.  

CLICK HERE FOR A PDF OF THE 5 TIPS

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) today released updated guidance about mask and physical distancing requirements for individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  

Now people who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to wear a mask indoors, in most public settings where vaccination status is checked.  

In public settings where vaccination status is not checked, masks will still be required.  

Finally, businesses and venue operators remain free to establish their own, more restrictive policies regarding mask usage.  

Here are links to the guidance: 

Interim Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Individuals 

Statewide Reopening Guidance – Masks, Face Coverings, Face Shields 

Can’t find your vaccination card? Here are some ways you can replace it .

When you get vaccinated you will receive a vaccine card that shows the date, your name and birthday. Keep this card in a safe place. Take a picture or make a copy of your card as soon as you get it.  

If you have lost your vaccination card, you can replace the card: 

• Contact the clinic where you got your vaccine 
• Ask your health care provider for a record 
• Follow the instructions on the ALERT IIS page  
• Call 211 for help in languages other than English