The Oregon Health Authority is working with community groups to try to prevent the spread that has mainly affected gay and bisexual men in the current global outbreak. Two of the cases were in Washington County.
Health
Supreme Court abortion decision: What happens in Oregon?
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn a nearly 50-year-old right to abortion has little immediate impact in Oregon, where the state Constitution guarantees reproductive rights, including free abortions, that aren’t touched by the ruling. Still, the landmark decision issued Friday in Washington, D.C., will affect Oregon. Reproductive health care[Read More…]
Oregon, Washington detect first cases of bird flu in backyard flocks
Oregon and Washington officials on Friday confirmed that both states have had their first cases of a highly pathogenic bird flu and about 150 backyard chickens, turkeys and geese were destroyed this week.
Peak of omicron hospitalizations and cases in Oregon is over, forecast says
The surge of people hospitalized or infected with omicron is over, according to the latest forecast from Oregon Health & Science University. The forecast, which influences the policy of the Oregon Health Authority, indicates that Oregon reached its peak, and the number of Oregonians infected or hospitalized has started to[Read More…]
Oregon Health Authority will lift indoor mask mandate by end of March
In a sudden turnaround, the Oregon Health Authority announced Monday it will lift the state’s indoor mask requirements by the end of March for indoor places, including schools. The announcement came on the same day that the agency filed a permanent state rule requiring masks indoors in public places with[Read More…]
Oregon soon could be on the mend from the pandemic with an expected drop in cases, officials say
Oregon’s short-term Covid-19 outlook remains bleak, Oregon’s lead epidemiologist said Friday, with hospitals nearing a peak in the demand for hospital beds and case counts skyrocketing. But after that, the situation could improve, according to Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state epidemiologist. “The omicron variant continues to cut a destructive swath[Read More…]
Want a free Covid-19 test delivered? Households can sign up now
The Biden administration’s effort to distribute free Covid-19 tests nationwide was supposed to start Wednesday. Instead, the government quietly began taking orders on Tuesday. Every household can obtain four free rapid antigen tests by going to CovidTests.gov and clicking through to a U.S. Postal Service site signup sheet and filling out the short form,[Read More…]
Oregon Health Authority creates new hotline, website for Covid-19 patients
With cases of omicron skyrocketing, the Oregon Health Authority is taking a new approach to tracking new Covid-19 infections. Investigators are no longer trying to call those who test positive for the coronavirus. State and county health departments have been using such calls to trace exposures and provide quarantine information.[Read More…]
Tested by one round, Oregon National Guard deploys for a second tour in hospitals
The Oregon National Guard is once again on the move to help the state’s hospitals. The order to do so came Wednesday from Gov. Kate Brown – less than a month after Guardsmen had completed the largest in-state mobilization in history. This time, up to 500 Guardsmen will be tasked[Read More…]
Oregon buys 6 million at-home test kits to give away free through community outlets
SALEM – The Oregon Health Authority has ordered 6 million home test kits to be given away free to help detect the coronavirus, the agency announced Thursday. The kits, each containing two tests, will be sent to health agencies, schools and community organizations to distribute. They also will go to[Read More…]
