Douglas County COVID-19 Update - August 23, 2021 (Photo) - 08/23/21

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021

DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 UPDATE #618

(Douglas County, Ore.) 

QUICK LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, AS OF NOON ON MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021

*Our COVID quick look includes the total number of new cases in Douglas County, which combines people with positive test results and presumptives.

COVID-19 WEEKEND RECAP FOR SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2021:

On Saturday, August 21, 2021, at 12:00 pm we had ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY-SEVEN (197) people with new positive test results and THREE (3) new deaths to report bringing our total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 7,216*. We had SIXTY-FIVE (65)Douglas County COVID-19 patients hospitalized, fifty-six locally and nine out-of-the-area, including two patients that have been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here.  We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 16 ventilators (invasive mechanical airway support) are currently in use, and 14 COVID positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). 

COVID-19 WEEKEND RECAP FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2021:

On Sunday, August 22, 2021, at 12:00 pm we had EIGHTY-THREE (83) people with new positive test results and ONE (1) presumptive that has been moved to positive with a positive test result to report bringing our total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 7,299*.  We had SIXTY-SIX (66) Douglas County COVID-19 patients hospitalized, fifty-seven locally and nine out-of-the-area, including two patients that have been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here.  We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 14 ventilators (invasive mechanical airway support) are currently in use, and 11 COVID positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). 

COVID-19 RECAP FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021:

As of 12:00 pm today, Monday, August 23, 2021, there are ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIX (136) people with new positive test results, ONE (1) new presumptive and THREE (3) new death to report, bringing the total number of cases of people with positive test results and presumptives in Douglas County to 7,436*. Currently, there are SEVENTY-EIGHT (78) Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized, sixty-five locally and thirteen out-of-the-area, including two that have been transferred out of the state for specialized care not available here. We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally: 12 ventilators (invasive mechanical airway support) are currently in use, and 12 COVID positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).  Of our hospitalized cases today, SIXTY-NINE (69) out of the 78 were not vaccinated. 

COVID-19 RELATED DEATHS OF DOUGLAS COUNTY RESIDENTS

Our Douglas County Public Health Officer, Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer, has confirmed the deaths of five more Douglas County residents related to the COVID-19 virus. Our one hundred and eleventh COVID-19 related death was a 69-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Saturday, August 7, 2021 and passed away on Friday, August 20, 2021.  She was vaccinated.  Our one hundred and twelfth COVID-19 related death was a 94-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday, August 6, 2021 and passed away on Friday, August 20, 2021. He was vaccinated.  Our one hundred and thirteenth COVID-19 related death was an 60-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday, August 12, 2021 and passed away on Thursday, August 19, 2021. She was not vaccinated.  Our one hundred and fourteenth COVID-19 related death was an 61-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 and passed away on Saturday, August 21, 2021. He was fully vaccinated.  Our one hundred and fifteenth COVID-19 related death was an 72-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Sunday, August 8, 2021 and passed away on Sunday, August 22, 2021. He was not vaccinated.  Our one hundred and sixteenth COVID-19 related death was an 66-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday, August 13, 2021 and passed away on Sunday, August 22, 2021. He was not vaccinated.  In the interest of privacy for the loved ones of these residents, no additional information will be released. Each death related to COVID-19 is painful for all Douglas County residents, and a sad reminder of the terrible impact COVID-19 has had in our local communities. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Dr. Dannenhoffer, DPHN and the DCCRT team extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to all family members, friends, relatives, co-workers and community members of those who have passed after contracting this deadly virus.

**Our COVID case 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. 

TOOLKIT TOPIC #3: 

SPREAD KINDNESS NOT GERMS, WASH YOUR HANDS!

The next tool in our COVID Toolkit is to practice good old-fashioned HANDWASHING. Washing your hands is easy, and it is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of most germs, including coronavirus. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another, and throughout an entire community — from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.  And, it works best, if we all participate! 

Although the history of hand-washing extends back to ancient times, when it was mainly something practiced by faith-based organizations, it was not widely used as a germ prevention tool.  The Old Testament, the Talmud and the Quran all mention hand-washing in the context of ritual cleanliness. The idea that handwashing could help prevent the spread of germs was not championed until 1847, when Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian doctor working in the maternity ward at Vienna General Hospital, began to investigate and theorize why so many women were dying after giving birth.  However, it would take two more decades at least before germ theory – the idea that microbes cause disease – gained traction.  20 years after his death (1867), Semmelweis' contribution was finally recognized, as the medical world became more receptive and wiser after germ theory of disease by Louis Pasteur and concept of antisepsis by Joseph Lister. Dr. Semmelweis was then hailed as the “Father of hand hygiene,” the “Father of infection control,” and “Savior of mothers.”

A survey by conducted by the Bradley Corporation reveals that while 92% of Americans believe it’s important to wash their hands after using the restroom, only 66% of people say they always wash, and 7 out of 10 people said they skip the suds and just rinse with water.  Make sure you help teach kids the proper techniques for hand-washing to help them create good habits for life. 

WHEN SHOULD I WASH MY HANDS?

Handwashing is especially essential:

1. Before, during and after preparing food
2. Before and after eating or drinking
3. Before and after caring for someone who is ill, elderly or in a care facility
4. Before and after treating a wound, changing dressing or applying a band aid
5. After using the restroom
6. After changing a diaper or helping a child use the restroom
7. After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
8. After touching high contact surfaces
9. After touching or feeding an animal or cleaning up animal waste
10. After handling garbage
11. After working outdoors
12. Anytime you feel like you need to!

HOW DO I PROPERLY WASH MY HANDS? SEVEN SIMPLE STEPS?

1. Get hands wet with water, preferably running water
2. Add a dab of soap
3. Lather up, making sure to rub hands together
4. Scrub between fingers and on the backs of hands.  Don’t forget to scrub the fingernails
5. Wash hands for at least 20 seconds.  Count to twenty or sing the birthday song twice†
6. Rinse completely
7. Dry with a clean cloth, disposable paper towel or air dry

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO SOAP AND WATER?

Think ahead so that you’re prepared when running water is not accessible. 

1. Bottled water, soap and paper towels are handy items to keep in your car at all times.
2. Keep alcohol-based hand sanitizer or disposable moist towelettes available at home, at your desk at work, in your purse and in your vehicle.  You can buy in bulk, but they are also available in convenient small packaging for on the go lifestyles.
3. Tip: To use hand sanitizer properly, apply the gel product to the palm of one hand, rub your hands together to ensure the gel covers all surfaces of your hands and fingers.      Rub until your hands are dry. This should take around 20 seconds. Do not wipe or rinse off the hand sanitizer before it is dry.

†Or you can use your favorite song as a timer to ensure your hands are thoroughly clean, and might not be a bad idea to wash your hands like your mom is watching, so that the only thing you spread is kindness, not germs.  Here are a few hand-washing song ideas to inspire you.  Best handwashing songs and The Beatles: I Gotta Wash My Hands.

REMINDER REGARDING NUMBERS FOR ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE: 

On Monday, August 16, 2021, we temporarily suspended our local reporting of those residents that are in isolation and quarantine. Due to the current extraordinary surge in local cases, state reporting system delays, necessary changes to our investigative protocols, and our local health teams doing their best to keep up with case workloads, we needed to temporarily suspend reporting our number of residents in isolation and quarantine.  We do not feel the numbers accurately represent the extent of those residents who are being asked to isolate and quarantine. We are hopeful that when this current crisis improves, we will be able to resume reporting.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.  The staff at DPHN along with community partners continue to support an extraordinary number of contacts and cases in isolation and quarantine.  Their unwavering dedication represents a significant amount of effort being done locally to help control the spread of COVID. 

DOUGLAS COUNTY TIGER TEAM 

The Douglas County Tiger Team continues to bring free COVID-19 vaccines directly to all areas of Douglas County in our mobile medical vans (MMV) via their pop-up vaccine clinics.  The Douglas County Board of Commissioners, who have led the charge for our Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team efforts since the beginning, have coordinated with DPHN to organize our local Tiger Team to manage our vaccine outreach efforts through ‘pop-up’ vaccine clinics. 

The clinics are currently open to anyone 18 years of age and older, and preregistration is not necessary. 

The Douglas County Tiger Team will be hosting FREE POP UP COVID VACCINE CLINICS at the locations listed below.  The clinics are currently open to anyone 18 years of age and older, and preregistration is not necessary:

• Monday, August 23, 2021: Roseburg and surrounding area.  Clinic will be at the HIV Alliance located at 647 West Luellen Drive, Suite #3 in Roseburg from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm.
• Tuesday, August 24, 2021: Roseburg and surrounding area.  Clinic will be at Sherm’s Thunderbird Market located at 2553 NW Stewart Parkway in Roseburg from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
• The Tiger Team will also be conducting Homebound vaccine visits to residents that are unable to leave their home.
• Thursday, August 26, 2021: Yoncalla and surrounding area.  Clinic will be at Yoncalla High School located at 292 5th Street in Yoncalla from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

For a complete list of upcoming Tiger Team clinics, log onto DPHN at https://douglaspublichealthnetwork.org/ and select the link for the Tiger Team schedules.  Our Tiger Team coordinates with Umpqua Valley Ambulance to bring a certified vaccinator and a medical assistant to each clinic.  If you are interested in having the Douglas County Tiger Team come to your area or event to provide a free pop-up vaccine clinic or if you have any questions about our Douglas County Tiger Teams, please call (541) 670-3110 or our local COVID-19 Hotline at (541) 464-6550. 

COW CREEK BAND OF UMPQUA TRIBE OF INDIANS OPENED HEALTH AND WELLNESS CLINICS TO ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR COVID VACCINATIONS AND TESTING

Shared from Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians.  The Cow Creek Health and Wellness Clinics opened up their COVID vaccination and testing clinics to all community members, not just Cow Creek or Tribal individuals. Any community member can get vaccinated for FREE at their drive-through vaccine site located at 2360 NE Stephens Street in Roseburg, on the following schedule throughout the month of August: 

• Moderna Vaccine Offered: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm 
• Johnson and Johnson Vaccine Offered: Thursdays from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Also, any community member, tribal or non-tribal, can get tested at either of the Cow Creek Health and Wellness Clinic (north and south) locations (see below for locations). The cost is $35, and they will bill insurance if you are insured. Community members do not have to be a clinic patient to get tested. Call (541) 672-8533 for more information and to schedule testing. Testing is available at both Cow Creek Health & Wellness locations: 2371 NE Stephens, Suite 200 in Roseburg and 480 Wartahoo Lane in Canyonville. 

AVIVA HAS A DEDICATED FREE COVID-19 VACCINATION CLINIC SITE IN ROSEBURG 

Shared from Aviva Health.  Aviva Health has a dedicated COVID-19 vaccination clinic site at 4221 NE Stephens Street, Suite 101 in Roseburg, just across the street from its main Roseburg Clinic location near Costco and offers free COVID-19 vaccines by appointment.   The COVID-19 vaccination clinic is e open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and is open for residents ages 12 and older**.  To schedule an appointment please call (541) 672-9596. 

COVID-19 VACCINE ELIGIBILITY OPEN FOR EVERYONE 12 YEARS OLD AND OLDER***

According to the CDC, State of Oregon and OHA, ALL residents ages 12 years old and older** are eligible to get the COVID-19 Vaccine. According to Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, our Douglas County Public Health Officer, “We have plenty of vaccines available, they are safe, they are effective and they are available to anyone 12 and above who wants one.” 

1. 🔍 Log onto: http://DougCoVaccine.com.
2. 📞 Call our Douglas County COVID-19 Hotline at (541) 464-6550.
3. 📞 Call and set up an appointment with your primary health care provider, ask for a referral to another health care provider or call and set up an appointment with a local pharmacy.
4. Coastal Residents can call the Lower Umpqua Hospital District’s COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center at (541) 271-2175.
5. Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians, can set up an appointment by calling (541) 672-9405 or log onto https://www.cowcreek-nsn.gov/public-health/.  This service is not open to everyone.
6. The Roseburg VA Health Care System is setting up appointments for veterans to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.  For more information, call the Roseburg VAMC at (541) 440-1000 or log onto https://www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19-vaccine/.
7. Seniors can call Douglas County Senior Services at (541) 440-3677 to get help finding a vaccine provider.
8. Attend one of our vaccination clinics offered in Douglas County with our Tiger Team or through Aviva Health.

COVID-19 FACEBOOK LIVE WITH DR. BOB 

As a part of our COVID-19 Recovery Phase, DPHN will continue to host our COVID-19 Facebook Live events once a week, on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 pm. The next Facebook Live event featuring Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, our Douglas County Public Health Officer will be Tuesday, August 24, at 6:00 pm.  You can submit your questions during our live show or in advance at: 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 INFORMATION

It is important to understand that Federal and State Government and their agencies are the ones that set policy, issue mandates and provide the guidelines for a state of emergency like the current COVID pandemic. Locally, we are following the recommended guidance issued by the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).  If you have questions about the current guidelines or the recommendations, please contact the CDC or OHA directly for more information. OHA posts their daily updates at www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus. Please do not call 911, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office or Douglas County Offices to report issues with the State of Oregon, OHA or the Governor’s orders.  

ACCESS TO LOCAL COVID-19 RESOURCES

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 update to our subscription base free. You can sign up for the Douglas County e-Newsletter at www.co.douglas.or.us. 

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 am to 5 pm, 7 days a week.

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 has a COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center for COVID-19 vaccine information in the Reedsport, Douglas County Coastal area. Call (541) 271-2175, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

***Please note that for residents that are ages 12 to 14, this will require a parent or guardian to accompany them and give written consent for the vaccine. Written consent can also be obtained in advance. Under Oregon law, minors 15 years of age and older may consent to medical treatment, including vaccinations, when provided by a physician, physician assistant, naturopath, nurse practitioner, dentist or optometrist, or other professionals operating under the license of these providers; however, families are encouraged to make decisions about vaccinations together.

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Contact Tamara Howell, Douglas County Public Information Officer & Emergency Communications & Community Engagement Specialist | Phone: (541) 670-2804 | Cell: (541) 957-4896 | Email: tjhowell@co.douglas.or.us 

Contact Vanessa Becker, Public Information Officer, Douglas Public Health Network – Phone: (541) 817-6552 – Cell - (541) 440-3571 – Email: vanessa@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org