JOINT INFORMATION CENTER PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 8, 2020
DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 RESPONSE TEAM - DAILY LOCAL UPDATE
(Douglas County, Ore.) We understand how difficult it is to stay home when we see the beautiful sunshine outside and the forecast is predicting a few warm sunny days in our future. The Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team, under the direction of the Douglas County Commissioners would like to emphasize the importance of residents continuing to stay safe when it’s sunny and following the #StayHomeSaveLives order to slow the spread of COVID-19. We must continue our commitment, even in nice weather. Here are a few tips and reminders offered by OHA about how to stay safe when it’s sunny, if you can maintain the 6 feet people distance.
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Local COVID-19 Test Results
As of 12:00 PM, April 8, 2020, there are no new cases of COVID-19 in Douglas County. The number of positive cases stands at twelve total in the county, three recovered, zero deaths and 455 negative tests for COVID-19 in the county. Douglas Public Health Network continues their epidemiologic investigations, identifying individuals who may have had close contact with individuals that have tested positive for COVID-19 and advising quarantine. Three of the individuals who tested positive earlier have now recovered. DPHN defines recovery as an end to all symptoms after a positive test for COVID-9.
The next drive-through COVID-19 clinic sponsored by DPHN is scheduled for Friday, April 10th. At this time, you can only get a COVID-19 test through your healthcare provider. Residents must be identified by their health care provider, as a patient that is symptomatic, and needs to be tested. Information has been given to providers and clinics about how to get their patients signed up for the drive-through testing clinics. If you want to be tested, you must talk to your health care provider. Tests are currently being processed at the Oregon State Public Health Lab and a growing number of commercial labs, like Quest and LabCorp. There are very few outpatient clinics in Douglas County offering testing at this time. Community health partners are working very hard to make testing available to a wider number of people. The first drive thru testing site was piloted in the county on March 17, 2020, 238 people have been tested so far in the DPHN sponsored drive through clinics.
Oregon COVID-19 Case Update
Oregon Health Authority reports new cases once a day on its website at www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus. The Oregon Health Authority is also releasing the daily situation status report, which is produced jointly with Oregon Office of Emergency Management. It details the overall picture of the COVID-19 outbreak within the state and the response across government agencies. Read more here about the daily situation status report.
Routine and Emergency Care during COVID-19
There have been a lot of questions about getting routine or emergency care in our hospitals, urgent cares and clinics. While many of us are worried about COVID-19, other medical conditions such as appendicitis and heart attacks are still here, and they can be deadly if not treated appropriately. If you have a serious health condition, do not hesitate to seek care at a hospital or urgent care.
Please don’t delay needed care, doctor visits etc. While our hospitals and clinics have paused previously scheduled procedures (due to PPE preservation), some necessary procedures are still being done. The governor has asked that health care workers refrain from procedures that use up our supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), but many X-ray or other imaging studies do not use PPE and can be done. Our local hospitals, as well as medical clinics and urgent care clinics have instituted additional safety and screening procedures to make access to needed care safe and convenient as possible for people during this pandemic.
Glove and Mask Etiquette
We all want you to be educated, safe and healthy. Now that a lot of people are wearing masks and gloves when in public, the DPHN staff put together a fun and informational video about how to best use gloves and masks. The video used glitter to simulate germs and is only a few minutes long. Please see all the DPHN COVID-19 informational videos on the DPHN YouTube channel.
Tips for Grocery Shopping in the time of COVID-19
Grocery shopping is an essential activity, but many are wondering how safe it is to go to the store during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some tips on how to keep yourself and others healthy while grocery shopping:
Experts say there is little risk of contracting COVID-19 from the groceries you purchase. Additional information and advice can be found on the Consumer Reports website.
Construction Industry, State Agencies Create Safety Guidelines
State officials and construction industry leaders have developed a comprehensive list of COVID-19 jobsite safety recommendations. The recommendations were created by the Oregon Home Builders Association (OHBA), the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) and the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA).
The guidelines incorporate recommendations issued by the state, such as on-site checklists for construction workers, social-distancing measures and the importance of identifying site-specific “safety captains.” To view the new construction jobsite safety guidelines, visit Oregon OSHA’s COVID-19 page.
“We appreciate the active role the construction industry has taken in educating its workforce regarding jobsite best practices and striving for 100 percent compliance with social distancing requirements,” Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood said. “These efforts are critical to protecting public health and the safety of construction workers.”
OHBA has also developed a COVID-19 safety class available to contractors through the Home Builders University.
Stay Informed with the Accurate Information
Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Public Health Officer, Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer and the Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team have been working hard to cooperatively provide accurate and timely information and a response to Douglas County residents. If you have questions about resources available, call the COVID-19 hotline, staffed by local volunteers at (541) 464-6550. Stay up to date on COVID-19 in Douglas County on the DPHN website at www.douglaspublichealthnetwork.org. Find additional information on state, federal and international COVID-19 response from the following websites: Oregon Health Authority, Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization and by calling or logging onto 211Info.