Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team - Daily Update - February 3, 2021 -02/03/21

Our local COVID-19 updates represent the coordinated effort of the agencies that make up the DCCRT

JOINT INFORMATION CENTER PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 3, 2021

DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 RESPONSE TEAM - DAILY UPDATE

 

(Douglas County, Ore.) Douglas County COVID-19 Test Results: As of 12:00 pm Today, Wednesday, February 3, 2021, there are SEVENTEEN (17) people with new positive test results and ONE (1) new presumptive to report since our noon case update yesterday.  The total number of cases (people with positive test results and presumptive) in Douglas County is now at 1,903*.  Currently, there are ELEVEN (11) Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized, seven locally and four out-of-the-area.  Our Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team, under the direction of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, who administer our local public health program and oversee the work by Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, our Douglas County Public Health Officer and Douglas Public Health Network, continue to devote all resources available to our local COVID response.

 

Douglas County, OR - COVID-19 - Case Update
Date	Saturday, January 30, 2021	Sunday, January 31, 2021	Monday, February 1, 2021	Tuesday, February 2, 2021	Today, Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Total COVID-19 Cases	1,854	1,864	1,871	1,885	1903
People w/ Positive PCR or Antigen Test Results	1,755	1,765	1,772	1,786	1803
Presumptive	99	99	99	99	100
Total Currently Hospitalized	8	7	7	8	11
Total Currently in Isolation	141	151	138	123	122
Total COVID-19 Related Deaths	48	48	48	48	48
Total COVID-19 vaccines distributed to Local Public Health and Total deployed to local vaccinators	2600/2600	2600/2600	2600/2600	2600/2600	2600/2600

*Our daily update includes the total number of cases in Douglas County, which combines people with positive test results and presumptives, as well as a breakout of those case numbers. There will be times when a presumptive will move to a positive test result, and our total case number will not change because the case has already been counted. We added a line to our chart to provide an accurate total of the number of vaccines that Local Public Health has received to date, as well as the number we have deployed to local vaccinators.  Our numbers do NOT include other sites like the Roseburg VA, Mercy Medical Center, EMS, Cow Creek Tribe and local care facilities that received their vaccines directly from the Federal and State Government.  

 

Local Contacts And Cases Being Supported In Isolation And Quarantine

Currently, DPHN is supporting 122 cases in isolation, as well as another 253 contacts in quarantine in Douglas County. Isolation is recommended for confirmed and presumptive cases, quarantine is recommended for contacts of confirmed or presumptive cases.  Currently, staff is supporting an astounding 375 total contacts and cases in isolation or quarantine.  This number represents a snapshot of the significant amount of work being done locally to help control the spread of COVID-19.

 

Covid-19 Vaccine Information

Please Be Patient, We Are Doing Everything We Can with The Guidelines We Have Been Given!

There is a lot of confusing information out there, so we ask for your continued patience as Local Public Health continues to follow the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) eligibility guidelines and is ONLY signing up residents that are listed on their list of eligible groups at this time.  As a reminder, Douglas County, Local Public Health, DPHN or your Doctor’s Office did not and do not set the guidelines for who is eligible to get the vaccine.  For more information, on how the CDC and OHA set up the COVID vaccine guidelines, please contact them.  Our local approved vaccinators are working hard to vaccinate those that wish to receive the vaccine in the current identified eligible priority populations.  Click here for Oregon's most up-to-date list of residents who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.  We are sharing the information we have available.  As a reminder, eligibility dates and vaccine availability are always subject to change.  We also want to stress that eligibility does not mean availability.

 

Limited Vaccine Availability

We know that there is still a limited supply of vaccines being sent to Oregon from the Federal government.  We are hopeful that more vaccine will head our way soon.  But, our biggest frustration remains the fact that even though we continue to request more vaccines, Douglas County has continued to receive a disproportionate supply of vaccines compared with the rest of the State.  We continue to ask the State to fix this issue, so we are able to vaccinate more of our eligible groups in our county. We have not received enough vaccines to vaccinate all residents in the current eligible groups, let alone the new groups coming up.   Local Public Health has only received a fraction of the doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from the State needed in order to vaccinate the ever growing list of eligible residents.  Even though Federal and State Health Officials continue to issue new eligibility guidelines, it does not mean that the vaccine is available for everyone that is eligible in Douglas County.  If you are NOT listed in the eligible groups, then we ask for your continued patience and ask that you wait to contact us.  We too are awaiting more information on eligibility dates, as well as availability of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

 

Local Public Health will continue to work on plans for vaccine distribution for the next eligible groups.  As soon as we have more information on allocation of vaccines from the State, and confirmation of eligible dates for the next groups, we will release a vaccination plan for the next eligible group.  Please, we ask that you continue to be patient, and wait to call or email until you are in an eligible group for the vaccine. Please know that if you want the vaccine, we want you to have it and are working 24/7 to make that happen.  Rest assured, that as soon as we start to receive more vaccines, we will begin to systematically offer them to eligible populations in an orderly, fair and equitable manner.

 

Who is eligible for the COVID vaccine right now?

According to OHA, ONLY health care providers and workers; first responders; skilled, long term and memory care facilities; correctional facility workers; tribal health members; VA Workers and qualifying Veterans; caregivers of medically fragile individuals who live at home; age-eligible individuals with a medical condition or disability who receive services in their homes; educators and child care providers are on the eligible list right now.  If you are a part of any of these groups, and you want a vaccine, then please email vaccines@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org.  DPHN will do their best to respond with the most current information available and connect those that are eligible for the vaccine with those that have the vaccine, as soon as the vaccine becomes available. Click here for a detailed list of Oregon's most up-to-date list of eligible residents for the COVID-19 vaccine.

 

What if I am not on the OHA eligible list right now?

If you are not a part OHA’s vaccine groups listed above, then you are not eligible to get the vaccine yet.  We ask that you please be patient and wait for more information to be released for your group.  Also, we ask that you not contact your doctor, health care provider, DPHN, Douglas County, local hospitals and our hotline until a local vaccination plan is released for your age group.  Again, just because you will be in an upcoming eligibility group does not mean we have vaccines available for you or that we know when we might receive vaccines for your group.

 

OHA Partners with 211info to Provide Vaccination Information

Shared from OHA. OHA recently announced an enhanced partnership with 211info to provide vaccination information. 211info is available to answer general COVID-19 questions, as well as questions about vaccine eligibility and how to find locations to get the vaccine locally. 

To get COVID-19 vaccine eligibility information and updates contact:

• Text ORCOVID to 898211 (English and Spanish only);
• E-mail ORCOVID@211info.org (All languages);
• Call 211.

FYI: OHA also said that wait times might be long due to an influx in calls with this new partnership. The best way to get information about the COVID-19 vaccine in Oregon is still to visit the COVID-19 vaccine website. It is updated regularly with the latest information on things like who can get a vaccine, when you will be eligible for vaccination and where you can expect to get a vaccine.

 

I am eligible to get the vaccine who do I contact?

If are part of the current eligible COVID-19 vaccine population in Douglas County, per the latest OHA COVID Vaccine Eligibility Guidelines released by the State and OHA, then please contact DPHN via email at: vaccines@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org.  DPHN will do their best to respond with the most current information available and connect those that are eligible for the vaccine with those that have the vaccine, as soon as the vaccine becomes available.  If you are not, then please wait until a vaccination plan is released for your age group. In the meantime, you can visit https://covidvaccine.oregon.gov/ or call 211 for more information on vaccine availability. 

 

Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians

If you are a member of the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians, please contact them for information on their COVID-19 testing and vaccination programs at (541) 672-9405 or log onto: https://www.cowcreek-nsn.gov/public-health/.  Shared from the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians.

 

U.S. Military Veterans

The Roseburg VA Health Care System is setting up appointments for veteran patients to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.  To qualify for the current round of COVID-19 vaccinations at the VA, veterans must be 75 or older, or be homeless, or be frontline essential workers, hemodialysis or organ transplant patients, or chemotherapy patients receiving care at a clinic or hospital. For more information, call (541) 440-1000 or log onto: https://www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19-vaccine/. Shared from the Roseburg VA.

 

Vaccine Distribution to Local Public Health in Douglas County

The latest round of vaccines distributed to Douglas County have all been deployed to our approved local health care providers (vaccinators) in Douglas County.  Those approved vaccinators are quickly working to vaccinate the current identified list of ELIGIBLE Douglas County residents in accordance with the priority group guidelines and criteria set by the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA).  Vaccinators are still working to vaccinate those that wish to receive the vaccine in the identified priority populations.

 

Please Keep You and Your Family Safe

We Continue to Encourage You to Protect You and Your Family

We are not able to predict when we will receive more vaccines, or when State guidelines might change or when we can start to resume our normal lives, so we continue encourage everyone, for the sake of our local businesses, services and residents, to gauge your risk level, and make the best choice in order protect yourself and those around you.  We have provided education on the widely proven COVID-19 safety measures, and encourage you to limit your contact with others not from your household, stay home if you are sick, and wear face coverings where recommended.  Click here, for a graphic on how to protect you and your family from the spread of COVID-19.  We know how important family, businesses and faith are to you, so we ask that you consider all options available in order to eliminate and minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus in our communities in order to help protect the ones you love, the businesses you love and the places you love to go.

 

New School Cases Announced

 

 

Roseburg Public Schools.  In press releases issued February 1st and 2nd, 2021, Roseburg School District Superintendent Jared Cordon, confirmed that they were notified by DPHN and Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, our Douglas County Public Health Officer, of two positive COVID-19 cases at Green Elementary School in Green.  RPS officials have been very proactive in their approach in dealing with this event to help mitigate the spread of the virus.

 

Below is a copy of the news release from RPS:  

“The district was notified on February 1, 2021, by Douglas Public Health Network that an adult at Green Elementary School tested positive for COVID-19. They were also notified on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 that a student at Green Elementary School also tested positive for COVID-19. The district is working closely with DPHN to respond to this news and protect the health of our school community.  At this time the individuals who may have been exposed have been contacted and are at home self-isolating and monitoring for symptoms. In order to protect their privacy, this will be the only information released by the school and district about these individuals.  Students who are in quarantine will transition temporarily to remote learning. School staff will be in touch with families to provide technology devices.  In collaboration with the Douglas Public Health Network, we continue to maintain safety protocols and guidelines established by the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Health Authority in the Ready Schools, Safe Learners plan.  For the most recent information about our schools, please visit the district website, www.roseburg.k12.or.us.”

 

For reference: The Oregon Health Authority issues a weekly COVID-19 report that publishes data on K-12 schools with in-person instruction, child/day care centers, businesses and care facilities that meet their outbreak criteria. As of last week, OHA’s policy related to school outbreaks is to report outbreaks with 1 or more cases in school settings at any place of learning for students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, or a subset, with at least 30 students enrolled. Case counts includes employees, staff, volunteers or students at the school. According to OHA, the notice is to inform the public of potential COVID-19 exposure and to provide transparency surrounding COVID-19 in schools. School is defined as any place of learning for students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, or a subset, with at least 30 students enrolled. This includes, but is not limited to, public schools, private schools, parochial and charter schools. Staff is defined as any person who works full time or part-time at the school, regardless of their position. A volunteer is defined as any person who volunteers onsite.

 

Local COVID-19 Testing and Facebook Live

 

 

Douglas County COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing Clinics

Due to widely available COVID-19 testing opportunities in Douglas County, your local public health authority and DPHN have decided to step-back our drive-through testing clinics to one day a week for the time being.  If needs increase, we are prepared to increase testing to 2-3 times a week again.  As we have reported before, we were one of the first counties in the state to do a drive-through COVID-19 testing clinic, and we have done 2-3 clinics a week since March 2020 in Roseburg, as well as drive-through testing clinics in Reedsport.  DPHN has also been part of increasing the availability and types of testing at multiple sites and locations across the county, also leading the state in rapid testing availability.  The next drive-through testing clinic will be Friday, February 5, 2021, in Roseburg.   As a reminder, if you are having symptoms of COVID-19 including cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches and pains, diarrhea, sore throat or decreased sense of smell and taste, talk to your health care provider about being tested for COVID-19.  Patients without a Primary Care Provider that are looking for a COVID-19 test can contact the Sutherlin Aviva Health Clinic at (541) 459-3788. 

 

Facebook Live with Dr. Bob

Join us Friday, February 5, 2021 at 4:00 pm for the next Facebook Live with Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, the Douglas County Public Health Officer. The show is hosted by DPHN on the DPHN Facebook page.  Residents are encouraged to submit their questions during the live show or can email questions to: Facebookquestions@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org.  Dr. Bob and the DPHN team will do their best to respond to as many questions as they can during the live shows.

 

Red Cross: Please Consider Donating Blood

 

 

The American Red Cross still has an urgent need for blood donations to prevent another blood shortage. Donors are needed to make and keep scheduled appointments to help meet the current need. If you are healthy, feeling well and eligible to give blood or platelets, you are urged to make an appointment to donate as soon as possible. COVID-19 safe donation measure are in place.  Donate your blood and save a life.  Remember, appointments are required, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call (800) 733-2767 to schedule today.  Sign up today to join the “Fire Fighters Care Blood Drive” hosted by the Roseburg Fire Department on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at the Roseburg Red Cross Donation Center from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm to show your support for our local fire fighters and donate blood.

 

Upcoming Local Upcoming Blood Drives:

Friday, February 5        10:30 am – 4:30 pm      Rsbg Blood Donation Center, 1176 NW Garden Valley Blvd

Monday, February 8     1:00 pm – 6:30 pm       Rsbg Blood Donation Center, 1176 NW Garden Valley Blvd

Tuesday, February 9     10:00 am – 3:00 pm      Rsbg Blood Donation Center, 1176 NW Garden Valley Blvd

Thursday, February 11 12:30 pm - 5:30 pm        Roseburg Church on the Rise, 3500 NE Diamond Lake Blvd
Friday, February 12      9:00 am – 3:00 pm        Rsbg Blood Donation Center, 1176 NW Garden Valley Blvd

Tuesday, March 16       12:30 pm - 5:30 pm      Coastal Farm & Ranch Roseburg, 782 NE Garden Valley Blvd
Friday, March 19          10:30 am – 4:00 pm      Elks Lodge #326 Roseburg, 749 SE Jackson

 

Oregon & Federal Covid-19 Information

Oregon and Federal COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Again, it is important to note that we are not the ones setting the guidelines for vaccines eligibility or distribution. We are following the current priority group guidelines and criteria set by the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA). We understand that our residents have many questions, so do we. Like you, we are patiently awaiting more vaccines and more information. If you have questions or need more information about the COVID-19 vaccine in Oregon, check out the resources listed below. In the meantime, we ask that you be patient and continue to follow the well documented recommendations for COVID health and safety. 

• OHA COVID-19 Vaccine website: https://covidvaccine.oregon.gov/
• OHA’s Latest COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Chart Link as of 1/15/2021: https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/DHSForms/Served/le3527A.pdf
• General Questions: COVID19.vaccine@dhsoha.state.or.us or call 211 or (971) 673-2411
• COVID-19 FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About the COVID Vaccine in Oregon

 

Oregon's COVID-19 Case Information

OHA reports new cases daily on their website at www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus. OHA reports include presumptive COVID-19 cases in their total case numbers. The DCCRT separates the number of people with new positive test results and new presumptives, and uses OHA’s definition of presumptive as those having had close contact with a known, confirmed COVID-19 case, showing symptoms and not yet having a positive nasal swab/PCR or antigen test for COVID-19. DPHN performs their epidemiologic investigations, identifying individuals who test positive, as well as those that may have had close contact with individuals that have tested positive while advising and supporting quarantine and isolation. OHA has chosen to no longer report negative test results or recovered cases, so we will no longer be reporting this data in our daily update. Please contact the OHA directly for more information.

 

Oregon and Federal COVID-19 Guidelines and Compliance Information

For more information on the State of Oregon and Federal COVID-19 response go to Oregon Health Authority or U.S. Centers for Disease Control or 211Info.  If you have questions or need more information on the current statewide guidelines and risk levels, go to the State’s Building a Safe and Strong Oregon website or the Governor’s COVID-19 website or call the Business Oregon's Navigator Hotline at (833) 604-0880. 

 

Please do not call 911, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office or Douglas County Offices to report compliance issues with the State of Oregon, OHA or Governor’s orders. The Governor has directed the State offices for Oregon Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) to be the enforcement agencies responsible for ensuring restaurants, bars, and other businesses comply with the current State COVID guidelines.  If you have concerns, questions or wish to report compliance issues contact these state agencies directly:  OSHA: (800) 922-2689 or OSHA website or OLCC (503) 872-5000 or OLCC website

 

Local COVID-19 RESOURCES

Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Public Health Officer, Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer, DPHN and the DCCRT have been working hard to cooperatively provide accurate and timely information to Douglas County residents since March 8, 2020. 

 

Local Online Access to Updates

Stay up to date with accurate and local COVID-19 information in Douglas County on the Douglas County Government website or DCGOV Facebook page or the DPHN website or DPHN Facebook page. 

 

Free Local e-Newsletter Subscription

You can also sign up for the Douglas County e-Newsletter that publishes and sends out the daily update to our subscription base for free.  You can sign up for the Douglas County e-Newsletter at www.co.douglas.or.us.  Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Public Health Officer, Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer, DPHN and the DCCRT have been working hard to cooperatively provide accurate and timely information to Douglas County residents since March 8, 2020. 

 

Douglas County COVID-19 Hotline (541) 464-6550

Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners and DPHN continue to offer a local resource hotline for Douglas County residents for COVID-19. The hotline provides answer to frequently asked questions, basic information and referrals to resources and services. The Hotline is staffed from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, 7 days a week.

 

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Contact Tamara Howell, Public Information Officer, Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team, (541) 670-2804 cell (541) 957-4896 tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us   

Contact Vanessa Becker, Public Information Officer, Douglas Public Health Network, (541) 817-6552 cell (541) 440-3571 vanessa@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org