DCBOC COVID Update

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021

DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 WEEKLY UPDATE

(Douglas County, Ore.)  DOUGLAS COUNTY COVID-19 UPDATE #657

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

As a reminder, starting today, Wednesday, December 1, 2021, we are shifting to a weekly release for our Douglas County COVID-19 Update.  This means we will only be issuing one update per week on Wednesdays.  However, our team will continue to post our COVID-19 Case Update Chart, as well as our updated list of local COVID-19 Resources to the county website (www.co.douglas.or.us) on the other weekdays (except for holidays).

†Our COVID case update chart includes the total number of cases reported in Douglas County since the beginning of the pandemic in our county on March 8, 2020. The chart illustrates the combination of residents with positive test results and confirmed presumptives, as well as the breakout of each of those. 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 in our over-all total. We follow the CDC definition for fully vaccinated, which states that a fully vaccinated person is someone who has received both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, or one dose of a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine and at least 14 days have passed since the individual’s final dose.

As of Today, Wednesday, December 1, 2021, there are THIRTY-FOUR (34) Douglas County COVID-19 patients that are being hospitalized, twenty-seven locally and seven out-of-the-area. We continue to work with Mercy to provide information on our COVID patients being hospitalized locally, as of today there are 4 COVID-19 positive patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 3 COVID-19 positive patients in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU).  13% of the total hospitalized patients at Mercy are COVID positive. Of our hospitalized patients today, TWENTY-EIGHT (28) of the 34 patients are not fully vaccinated. 

Douglas County Public Health has confirmed the deaths of six more Douglas County residents related to COVID-19. 

Our two hundred and eighty-seventh COVID-19 related death was an 83-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 and passed away on Saturday, November 20, 2021. She was not vaccinated. Our two hundred and eighty-eighth COVID-19 related death was a 69-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Sunday, November 14, 2021 and passed away on Friday, November 26, 2021. He was not vaccinated.  Our two hundred and eighty-ninth COVID-19 related death was a 41-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday, November 22, 2021 and passed away on Thursday, November 25, 2021. He was not vaccinated. Our two hundred and ninetieth COVID-19 related death was a 46-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday, November 15, 2021 and passed away on Saturday, November 27, 2021. He was not vaccinated. Our two hundred and ninety-first COVID-19 related death was an 89-year-old woman who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday, November 15, 2021 and passed away on Sunday, November 28, 2021. She was fully vaccinated. Our two hundred and ninety-second COVID-19 related death was a 93-year-old man who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Wednesday, November 24, 2021 and passed away on Thursday, November 25, 2021. He was not vaccinated. In the interest of privacy for the loved ones of this resident, and as our ethical responsibility to follow all medical laws, no additional information will be released.  Douglas County Public Health officials thoroughly scrutinize and investigate all deaths, and review all medical records to make sure that everyone we report has met the requirements for a COVID related death, as per the Oregon Disease Investigative Guidelines for COVID-19.  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 our Douglas County COVID-19 Response 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. 

Douglas County Public Health has been receiving delayed reports of COVID-19 related deaths of Douglas County residents from Oregon Vital Records, hospice/long-term care facilities and out-of-state institutions.  Today, we do not have any delayed COVID-19 related deaths to report.  Our team continues to confirm and then report all COVID-19 related deaths in the order that they are received. 

Douglas County’s vaccine pace slowed down a little last week, mainly due to the holiday.  But, we still continue to see a good number of new vaccines, including people of all ages. Most of the doses given last week were booster doses, and we expect even more this week with the extension of boosters to all vaccines and the approval of pediatric vaccines.  We continue to compare and track our numbers using CDC’s vaccine data, as they more accurately represent our vaccination numbers.  The data includes the Federally administered doses given at the Roseburg VA, that OHA is not counting in their totals.  Our current numbers are:

• For those 18 years old and above in Douglas County who are fully vaccinated (as calculated by the CDC) we are at 60%. 
• The percent of the ENTIRE population in Douglas County who are fully vaccinated (as calculated by the CDC) is 50%.

In addition, as with any outbreak, considering our local data of 13,443 total COVID-19 cases to date, national and historical statistics project that there are generally 2.1 times as many infections as reported cases.  So, locally it is predicted that Douglas County has had likely upwards of 28,230 residents infected with COVID-19, which equates to about 25.1% of our population with some natural immunity (note that some may have had both infection and vaccine).  This would suggest that about 70 to 76% of our population is now immune, either by vaccination, natural infection or both.  Unfortunately, that still leaves about 24 to 30% of our population susceptible, and widespread disease is still possible, although it is less likely that we will have the huge surges that we experienced recently. Note that all of these calculations apply to the current widespread variants such as alpha and delta. 

The Federal and State Governments, 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. For information log onto U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).  If you have questions about the current guidelines, mandates or the recommendations, please contact them 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 mandates. 

💻 LOCAL ONLINE ACCESS TO UPDATES: Stay up to date with accurate and local COVID-19 information 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 free Douglas County e-Newsletter that publishes and sends out the update to our subscription base. Log onto: 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 answers to frequently asked questions, basic COVID information and referrals to local resources and services. Our local hotline number is (541) 464-6550 and is staffed from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, 7 days a week. 

🔍 DPHN VACCINE INFORMATION: Want more information on the vaccines? Log onto: http://DougCoVaccine.com.

🔍 DPHN COVID-19 INFORMATIONAL VIDEOS: Check out DPHN’s YouTube Channel for locally produced informational videos about COVID-19, featuring Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, our Dougals County Public Health Officer.

👩‍⚕️ AVIVA HEALTH:  UPDATED 11-03-21

COVID-19 LEISURE TESTING: ALL testing is by appointment only Aviva Health offers fee-based leisure COVID-19 testing, by appointment only, at its drive-through testing clinic located at 4221 NE Stephens Street, Suite 101A, in Roseburg, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 11:30 am and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm to individuals who require a negative test for travel, public events such as college football games, return to work, and other non-medically necessary purposes.  Rapid BINAX tests are $60, and PCR tests are $35. COVID-19 Symptomatic Testing: They continue to offer no- and low-cost COVID-19 testing for residents, by appointment only, who are symptomatic by billing their insurance or for uninsured individuals charging on an income-based, sliding-fee scale. Residents may schedule a testing appointment by calling (541) 492-2067. 

COVID VACCINE:ALL vaccinations are by appointment only Aviva Health continues to offer free drive-through COVID-19 vaccination services to patients and non-patients, by appointment only. Patients must be Douglas County residents.  Residents may schedule a vaccine appointment by calling (541) 492-2067.  Vaccinations are also available on a limited basis, by appointment only at Aviva Health’s outlying clinics in North County, Sutherlin, Glide, and Myrtle Creek. People seeking vaccinations at their outlying clinics should call (541) 672-9596, to determine availability. 

COVID-19 BOOSTER VACCINES: ALL vaccinations are by appointment only Aviva Health is now offering the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 boosters to certain groups of people, by appointment only, at its vaccination clinic located at 4221 NE Stephens Street, Suite 101A, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 11:30 am and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm.  Please call (541) 492-2067 to schedule your booster appointment.  For more information please visit www.aviva.health/covid-19-resources/. 

🏥 LOWER UMPQUA HOSPITAL DISTRICT: Lower Umpqua Hospital District has a COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center for COVID-19 vaccine information in the Reedsport area. Call (541) 271-2175, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

👨‍⚕️ COW CREEK HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER: UPDATED 11-24-21 

VACCINATIONS: All adults age 18 and older are welcome to make appointments for Moderna booster vaccines with Cow Creek Public Health by calling (541) 677-5535 to make an appointment. If you have to leave a voicemail, CCPH will get back to you within the hour, or next business day if after hours or on weekends. The vaccination site is located in the south parking lot of Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville, open from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm Monday through Friday, closed holidays. Established patients of Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center may also schedule their vaccine at either the North or South clinics. Patients can call (541) 672-8533 (press #3 for Roseburg Clinic, press #4 for Canyonville Clinic) to schedule. At the time of vaccination, all individuals will be required to sign a consent form. Due to staff limitations, CCPH is unable to vaccinate anyone with severe medical risks (such as history of heart attacks, epilepsy, previous allergic reactions to vaccines, etc.). It is recommended those individuals receive their vaccination in the presence of a primary care physician. CCPH is temporarily pausing all primary dose vaccinations at this time.    

TESTING: REMINDER: Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center is no longer offering free community testing. Testing is available by appointment only for Cow Creek Health and Wellness Center patients, Tribal Members, employees of Cow Creek Government Offices and affiliated businesses at the new Roseburg Clinic at 2589 NW Edenbower Blvd and the South Clinic in Canyonville at 480 Wartahoo Lane.

FREE VACCINATION CLINIC: Cow Creek Public Health and the Oregon Health Authority are partnering to bring a free vaccination clinic to Roseburg on Saturday, December 4 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at 1028 NE Stephens Street (parking lot of the former Umpqua Auctions building). OHA and CCPH will have primary and booster doses of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson for adults 18 and older, and pediatric Pfizer BioNTech for children ages 5-11. Vaccines are free and no appointment is required. Vouchers for $15 at “The Bun Stuffer” food truck will be issued to any individual who receives a vaccination, or transports someone to receive a vaccination. Food vouchers must be used 12/4 on site only. 

🏥 ROSEBURG VA HEALTH CARE SYSTEM: Veterans can set up an appointment COVID-19 vaccine, by calling the Roseburg VAMC at (541) 440-1000.

👵 DOUGLAS COUNTY SENIOR SERVICES can help seniors with questions, locating testing and vaccines at (541) 440-3677.

***Please note for residents under the age of 14, this will require a parent or guardian to accompany them and give written consent for the vaccine.  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.

###

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 | Cell: (541) 817-6552 | Email: vanessa@douglaspublichealthnetwork.org