Health

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 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…]

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…]

New coronavirus strain a ‘variant of concern,’ dubbed Omicron by World Health Organization

A new strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 has been reported in South Africa, Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel. Little is known yet about what the World Health Organization dubbed the Omicron variant today.  South Africa first reported the B.1.1.529 variant to the World Health Organization Wednesday, November[Read More…]

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