Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team - Daily Update - March 29, 2021 -03/29/21
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 – March 29, 2021
DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 RESPONSE TEAM - DAILY UPDATE
(Douglas County, Ore.) As of 12:00 pm Today, Monday, March 29, 2021, there are TWELVE (12) people with new positive test results and TWO (2) new presumptives to report since our noon case update yesterday. The total number of cases (people with positive test results and presumptives) in Douglas County is now at 2,866*. Currently, there are SIX (6) Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized, three locally and three out-of-the-area. Our Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team, under the direction of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, continue to devote all resources available to our local COVID response.
NEXT DRIVE-THROUGH COVID-19 VACCINATION EVENT SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, APRIL 3
Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners and Douglas Public Health Network (DPHN) are excited to announce that our next mass drive-through COVID-19 vaccination event will take place on Saturday, April 3, 2021, at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. The event will be by appointment only, so preregistration is required. We are planning to utilize both the Pfizer (two dose) and Johnson & Johnson (single dose) vaccines.
The COVID-19 vaccination event will be for:
- All previously eligible residents and the newest eligible group, residents ages 45-64 with underlying conditions, pregnant women 16 and above and food processing workers, by appointment only. (For eligibility specifics check out the details below or log onto the State of Oregon/OHA’s vaccination eligibility plan). See below for information on how and when to sign up.
- Second doses of the Pfizer vaccine to those residents who received their first dose at our drive through COVID-19 vaccination event on Saturday, March 13, 2021. See below for information about appointments.
Eligible residents will be able to go online or call for an appointment starting at NOON on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. We will announce how eligible residents can sign up for the vaccination event in our Tuesday, March 30, 2021, DCCRT daily update. Just like in our previous COVID-19 vaccination event, we will offer two ways that eligible residents sign up to schedule an appointment for the vaccination event. Eligible residents will be able to go online or call to make an appointment. Please do not call, contact or go to the Douglas County Fairgrounds to ask about signing up for the vaccination event. The staff at the Fairgrounds do not have the sign up information. For those residents that received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at our drive-through event on March 13, 2021, they will be scheduled to receive their second dose at exactly the same time on April 3, 2021. For those who got "extra" vaccine at the end of the day at our first drive-through vaccination event on March 13, 29021, they will be scheduled for a 2:00 pm appointment. Again, we will not be able to vaccinate everyone that is eligible at this event, so we encourage eligible residents to still follow the guidelines for making an appointment via an email with DPHN or by calling your primary health care provider, the Roseburg VA, your Tribal Office or a local pharmacy to schedule an appointment.
|
Date |
Thursday, March 25, 2021 |
Friday, March 26, 2021 |
Saturday, March 27, 2021 |
Sunday, March 28, 2021 |
Today, Monday, March 29, 2021 |
|
Total COVID-19 Cases |
2,826 |
2,832 |
2,841 |
2,852 |
2,866 |
|
People w/ Positive PCR or Antigen Test Results |
2,689 |
2,694 |
2,703 |
2,714 |
2,726 |
|
Presumptive |
137 |
138 |
138 |
138 |
140 |
|
Total Currently Hospitalized |
9 |
9 |
10 |
8 |
6 |
|
Total Currently in Isolation |
112 |
93 |
93 |
102 |
108 |
|
Total COVID-19 Related Deaths |
59 |
60 |
60 |
60 |
60 |
*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. On Thursday, February 11, 2021, we removed the vaccination distribution row from our daily COVID chart, and instead we will be providing a vaccine tally once a week on Fridays, of the vaccines received by our local public health, and then deployed to local vaccinators. Please note that our cumulative vaccine numbers do NOT include other vaccination sites like the Roseburg VA, Mercy Medical Center, EMS, Cow Creek Tribe, Pharmacies and local care facilities that have received their vaccines directly from the Federal and State Government.
LOCAL CONTACTS AND CASES BEING SUPPORTED IN ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE
Currently, DPHN is supporting 108 cases in isolation, as well as another 276 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 384 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.
MY REASON WHY - DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID VAX VOICES:
We know that a lot of you still have a number of questions and concerns about the COVID-19 vaccines. You know what, that is ok! It is also ok to talk openly about your questions and concerns. We also know that this last year coping with the daily rigors of the pandemic has been scary and stressful. However, talking about what is on our mind, honestly is the best way to get the information you need to make a decision and protect the people you love. So, we have decided to start a local series with answers to the most commonly asked vaccine questions, as well as feature a local Douglas County resident, and the reason why they chose to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Question: So, How Safe Are Covid-19 Vaccines?
Shared in part from Loyola Medicine. The short answer: Very! All COVID-19 vaccines being used today went through rigorous clinical studies to ensure they are as safe as possible, before being authorized for use by our country’s leading medical experts. These trials were conducted across a diverse group of Americans from all backgrounds: Black, Native American, White, Hispanic, and Asian. Men and women. Moreover, both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) watch for any problems reported by the millions of people across the country who are already vaccinated against COVID-19. You may know the FDA has a role in approving medicines for use, but the FDA also sometimes has a second role of continuing to watch the safety of medicines after they become available too—and they are doing this with the COVID-19 vaccines. Because of this monitoring system, the healthcare system is rapidly detecting and sharing any potential concerns.
My Reason Why – Shared from CHI Mercy Health – Mercy Medical Center:
Meet Dr. Jenni, she is a General Surgery Specialist at CHI Mercy Health – Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, Oregon. She stated she got her COVID-19 vaccine because, “I want to protect my patients and community!” Thank you Dr. Jenni for sharing your reason why. #MyC19VaxReason; #DCVaxVoices
UPDATED COVID-19 VACCINE ELIGIBILITY – NEW GROUP ADDED
According to the State of Oregon/OHA’s vaccination eligibility plan, as of today, residents in the following categories are eligible to make an appointment for the COVID-19 Vaccine:
- Phase 1-A, Groups 1-4: All health care facilities, providers and workers; first responders; EMS, skilled, long term and memory care facilities; correctional facility workers; tribal health programs; 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.
- Phase 1-B, Group 1: Child care providers, early learning and K-12 educators and staff.
- Phase 1-B, Groups 2-5: Residents 65-years-of-age or older
- NEW! Phase 1-B, Group 6: Adults 45-64, with underlying conditions; migrant/seasonal farm workers; seafood, agricultural and food processing workers; residents living in low-income, senior congregate and independent living facilities; those experiencing houselessness; residents displaced by wildfires, wildland firefighters and pregnant residents 16 and older.
I AM ELIGIBLE, HOW DO I SIGN UP TO GET THE COVID-19 VACCINE?
Our local public health continue to follow the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) eligibility guidelines, and are ONLY scheduling appointments for residents that are listed on OHA’s list of currently eligible groups at this time. Douglas County, DPHN or your Doctor’s Office did not set the guidelines for who is eligible to get the vaccine. For more information, on how the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) set up their COVID vaccine guidelines, please contact them directly. As a reminder, eligibility dates and vaccine availability are always subject to change, and eligibility does not mean availability. Please, if you are not in an eligible vaccine group right now, we ask that you continue to be patient, and wait to call, email or try to set up an appointment until after your age or eligibility group becomes eligible.
I Am Eligible for Phase 1-A, Groups 1-4
For those residents who are a part of Phase 1-A, but have not received their COVID-19 vaccine, please send an e-mail to vaccines@DouglasPublicHealthNetwork.org and DPHN will connect you with a local vaccine provider. Please only send a request to get a vaccine to this email if you are Phase 1-A eligible. You can also check with your employer to see if they will be offering or referring employees to get vaccines.
I Am Eligible for Phase 1-B, Group 1
For those residents in Phase 1-B, Group 1: Educators, childcare and early education workers, you should have already received emails about your eligibility from DPHN or Douglas ESD. If you are in that group and still want a vaccine, please send an email to educatorvaccines@DouglasPublicHealthNetwork.org. If you did not receive an e-mail, please contact your employer.
I Am Eligible for Phase 1-B, Groups 2-5: Seniors 65 and Older**
As of Monday, March 1, 2021, residents 65-years-of-age and older became eligible to schedule an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Eligible seniors are asked to call and set up an appointment with their primary health care provider first, or ask for a referral to another health care provider or set up an appointment with a local pharmacy listed on our vaccinators list. Click here for our current list of COVID Vaccinators
I Am Eligible for Phase 1-B, Group 6**
As of Tuesday, March 23, 2021, eligible residents listed in the State’s Phase 1-B, Group 6 became eligible to schedule an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Douglas County. Eligible residents in this group are asked to call and set up an appointment with their primary health care provider first, or ask for a referral to another health care provider or set up an appointment with a local pharmacy listed on our vaccinators list. Click here for our current list of COVID Vaccinators
**Douglas County’s Vaccination Plan for Seniors 65+, as well as the new Phase 1-B, Group 6, is to have eligible residents get their COVID vaccine where they get their regular health care or flu vaccine. Douglas County, DPHN and our local health care partners are planning the next drive-through COVID vaccination event on Saturday, April 3, 2021 for eligible residents. We will release information on how eligible residents can sign up the week of March 29, 2021. As a reminder, because the COVID vaccines have very specific handling constraints, all providers offering to vaccinate eligible residents will be administering vaccines with a scheduled appointment only. Doctor’s offices, medical facilities, Urgent Care Clinics and Pharmacy’s will not and cannot do walk-in appointments.
Local Tribal Health Vaccine Programs
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/. Tribal Health Care Programs receive their vaccines directly from the Federal Government, and not through our local public health allocation from the State.
VA Workers and Eligible U.S. Military Veterans
The Roseburg VA Health Care System is setting up appointments for specific groups of veteran patients to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. To find out if you qualify for the current round of COVID-19 vaccinations at the Roseburg VAMC, please call or email them directly. VA Health Care Systems receive their vaccine directly from the Federal Government and not through our local public health allocation from the State. For more information, call the Roseburg VAMC at (541) 440-1000 or log onto https://www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19-vaccine/.
What If I Am Not On The OHA Eligible List Right Now?
As we have mentioned before, if you are not specifically listed on one of OHA’s published eligible vaccine groups, then you are not eligible to get or sign up for the vaccine yet. We ask that you please be patient and wait until you are eligible to contact your doctor, health care provider, DPHN, Douglas County, local hospitals and our hotline. 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.
COVID-19 VACCINE AVAILABILITY AND ALLOCATION INFORMATION
Your Local Public Health Administrator and Douglas County Public Health Official, along with DPHN and our local health care partners have been working hard to acquire more vaccines, and vaccinate those that are eligible and want the vaccine. All vaccine doses received to date have been deployed to local approved vaccinators throughout the county. As we mentioned before, we are finally seeing a fair and equitable allotment of COVID vaccines from the State of Oregon and we are hopeful that the distribution levels will continue. It is also important to note, that in addition to the first dose vaccines that we receive from the State of Oregon on a weekly basis, we also receive our allocation of second doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which are paired with the first doses, and are not counted in the overall total vaccines that we have receive each week. Please note that our vaccine numbers do NOT include other vaccination sites like the Roseburg VA, Mercy Medical Center, EMS, Cow Creek Tribe, Pharmacies and local care facilities that have received their vaccines directly from the Federal or State Government.
How Do I Get My Second Dose of the Pfizer or Moderna Vaccine?
For those residents who have already received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, here are a few answers to questions about your second and final dose.
- We are told that those who get vaccinated can expect a second dose about 4-6 weeks after the first dose.
- You should have received a vaccination card when you received your first dose that details the brand of vaccine, its lot number, and the date the vaccine was administered. This card is for your records only, and is not official proof that you have received the vaccine. Proof of your vaccination rests with the State Alert System, which is accessible by medical facilities.
- You should get your second dose from the same provider or organization from which you received your first. However, the physical address where you receive the second dose may change.
- You will be notified by the provider or organization that gave you your first dose about where and when you will receive your second dose.
- I got a first vaccine out of the area; can I get my second vaccine in Douglas County? The second vaccine dose is “paired” to the first dose, and your second dose will be sent to wherever you got your first dose. Therefore, except in rare circumstances, you will need to return to where you got your first dose.
- If you have questions, please contact the provider or organization where you received your first dose.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE
We are not able to say for sure when we will receive more vaccines, or when State guidelines might change or when we can start to resume some sort of normality in our lives. However, we can continue encourage everyone, for the sake of our local businesses, services and residents, to gauge your risk level, and to make the best choice in order protect yourself and those around you from contracting or spreading coronavirus. 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 to help protect the ones you love, the businesses you love and the places you love to go.
LOCAL COVID-19 TESTING AND FACEBOOK LIVE
Douglas County COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing Clinics Taking a Pause
As we mentioned last week, we are taking a break from doing our weekly local drive-through COVID-19 testing clinics. Because of the 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 for the time being. If needs increase, we are prepared to bring back testing on a weekly basis 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. 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.
COVID-19 Facebook LIVE with Dr. Bob
Tune in on Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 6:00 pm for the next Facebook Live with Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, the Douglas County Public Health Officer. For future Facebook Events with Dr. Bob, please submit your 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 Facebook event. The Facebook Events are hosted by DPHN on the DPHN Facebook page.
STATE AND FEDERAL COVID-19 INFO
Again, it is important to note that we are not the ones setting the guidelines for vaccine eligibility or availability. 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). Go online or contact the CDC or OHA directly for more information. OHA posts its COVID updates and reports at www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus.
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 team 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 by visiting 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 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. Our local hotline number is (541) 464-6550 and is staffed from 8:00 am to 5: pm, 7 days a week.
Check Out DPHN’s Top Three COVID Vaccine Questions of the Day
In response to the huge increase in calls and emails that Douglas Public Health Network (DPHN), the DCCRT, Douglas County and our local COVID Hotline have received in the last few weeks regarding COVID vaccinations, DPHN added a new segment to their website that will highlight answers to the Top Three COVID Vaccine Questions of the Day. Click here to link to the DPHN website.
Aviva Health Offers Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions Webpage
Aviva Health has created an online FAQ page to answer questions related to COVID-19 regarding availability and scheduling. Log onto https://aviva.health/covid-19-vaccine-faqs/
COVID Vaccine Call Center at Lower Umpqua Hospital District in Reedsport
Lower Umpqua Hospital District now has a COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center for COVID-19 vaccine information in the Reedsport, Douglas County Coastal area. The LUHD COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center number is (541) 271-2175, and is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
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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
