COVID-19 Situation Report
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Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Situation Report Situation Report Number: 1.13.2021 Incident Name: COVID-19 MultCo Coordination OERS Number: 2020-0279 (COVID) EOC: Policy Team: Activated Jessica Guernsey, Multnomah County Health Department Kim Toevs, Multnomah County Health Department Chris Voss, Multnomah County Emergency Management Marc Jolin, Joint Office of Homeless Services Mohammad Bader, Department of County Human Services Unified Command Team: Lee Girard, Department of County Human Services Lisa Corbly, Multnomah County Emergency Management Alice Busch, Multnomah County Emergency Management Aaron Monnig, Multnomah County Health Department Date: Time: Situation Reports are typically released on Wednesdays. All posted Situation 1/13/21 11:30 am Reports are archived on the County’s website. To submit updates / actions to this report, email the Multnomah County EOC Situation Unit at [email protected] with the subject line: Update for COVID-19 Situation Report. Multnomah County COVID-19 Emergency Response Announcements and Featured Media ● On January 6, Oregon Health Authority held a facebook live question and answer session on COVID-19 data. This session was also made available in Spanish. ● On January 7, Oregon Health Authority held the first meeting of its COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee (VAC) to discuss how critical workers and population will be prioritized in the state’s vaccine rollout. ○ On January 14, 10 am - 12 pm, the second meeting of the COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee (VAC) will be held. ○ The full meeting schedule for the VAC is as follows: ■ Tuesdays: Discussion of COVID-19 vaccine information (January 19 and 26; 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm) ■ Thursdays: Discussion and recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine sequencing for groups 1b, 1c and 2 (January 14, 21, and 28; 10:00 am - 12:00 pm) ■ These meetings are open to the public. Comments and questions can be submitted in advance in English or Spanish. page 1 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) ● On January 7, Oregon Health Authority released a document providing an overview of Oregon’s Phase 1a Vaccine Sequencing Plan: Frequently Asked Questions. ● On January 8, Governor Kate Brown held a press availability with Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Education. ● On January 12, Governor Kate Brown announced changes to the state’s planned COVID-19 vaccination distribution schedule. The news release states, “Following today’s updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Governor Kate Brown announced that Oregon will be expanding COVID-19 vaccination to include all individuals age 65 and older. In addition, the federal government announced it would be releasing its full reserve of vaccines available to states, rather than holding some doses in storage. Vaccination of Oregon seniors––as well as child care providers and early learning and K-12 educators and staff––will start on January 23, when additional vaccine shipments are expected to begin arriving from the federal government . If you are an Oregonian who is newly eligible for vaccination, I am asking for your patience. Please, do not call your doctor’s office or health care provider with questions about when you can be vaccinated. Today’s news arrived with no advance notice from the federal government. Oregon health care providers are working as fast as humanly possible to shift their vaccine distribution plans to meet this sudden change in national guidance.” ● On January 12, Multnomah County released a statement outlining the regional plan to vaccinate all area healthcare providers and employees eligible under COVID-19 Phase 1a Vaccine Sequencing Plan. This story was covered by KATU, KGW, and KOIN. COVID-19 Vaccine Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is maintaining the COVID-19 Vaccine in Oregon page and has recently published the COVID-19 Vaccination Trends dashboard. OHA has identified four groups in their Phase 1a Vaccine Sequencing Plan (which was further refined in OHA’s January 5 COVID-19 Phase 1a Sequencing Update) which aligns with the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for broad groups to be included in the initial phase of vaccine distribution. With a focus on health equity, the plan builds on the federal recommendations to outline specific populations within the broader groups. On January 7, OHA released a document with an overview of Oregon’s Phase 1a Vaccine Sequencing Plan: Frequently Asked Questions. OHA is also enrolling healthcare providers who wish to sign up as a provider of vaccine for COVID-19. More information is available on OHA’s Frequently Asked Questions about the COVID-19 Vaccine in Oregon page. Questions about COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine planning can be directed to Oregon Health Authority, at [email protected]. On January 12, Multnomah County released a statement outlining the plan for Metro-area counties and major health systems to partner to vaccinate all area health care providers and employees eligible for the state’s Phase 1A vaccine, including solo practitioners and those unaffiliated with a hospital. To speed this process, county public health departments are matching health care providers and employers with hospital systems that have agreed to provide these vaccinations. Public health officials are asking each page 2 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) employer to identify one person to fill out a short survey with the name of their organization, the health care sector they work in, the number of employees who need vaccination, and a point of contact. Solo practitioners should fill out the survey themselves. Current information is available on Multnomah County’s COVID-19 Vaccine page. Social Media highlights (COVID-19 Vaccine): Please share widely ● Multnomah County Facebook ○ Nurses who work at Multnomah County Health Department’s drive-through COVID-19 testing sites received their first dose of the Moderna vaccine this morning, as the County prepares for larger vaccination events in the coming days and weeks. “I feel so grateful I was able to get the vaccine,” said Portia Pasiaka, a nurse with the County’s COVID-19 testing team and the first County employee to receive the vaccine. “I feel very happy to have this opportunity.” Jaelyn Tanga, a nurse at Multnomah County’s COVID-19 drive-through testing sites, said she is excited to be one of the first County employees to get her COVID-19 vaccine. And she feels confident that it’s safe. “Initially I was concerned about how fast the vaccine came out,” she said. “But then I read the science. And I took comfort knowing this is for the benefit of everyone.” ● Multnomah County Health Department Facebook ○ As COVID-19 vaccine distribution begins, be aware of these signs of potential scams: * You are asked to pay out of pocket to get the vaccine. * You are asked to pay to put your name on a vaccine waiting list or to get early access. * Advertisements for vaccines through social media platforms, emails, telephone calls, online, or from unsolicited/unknown sources. * Marketers offering to sell or ship doses of the vaccine for payment. ○ For nearly a year, COVID-19 has disrupted our lives with illness, death, economic hardship and loss on many levels. A COVID-19 vaccine can help us move forward. Regional health authorities, Oregon Health Authority and the CDC recommend vaccination for COVID-19 when it is available. Some participants in the COVID-19 vaccine trials and people who have received the vaccine experienced side effects (like mild fever and muscle aches) as their immune systems mounted a response to protect them from the virus. This is normal. Ultimately, we all have to make our own decisions about whether to get vaccinated or not. The Multnomah County Health Department strives to provide access to the factual information you want and need in order to make your decision. Visit COVID-19 Vaccine for more information. COVID-19 testing Information about statewide testing efforts can be found in Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 Testing in Oregon. You can also visit Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) testing information website. page 3 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Multnomah County community testing For information about testing sites, who should get tested, and what to expect from your COVID-19 test, see Multnomah County’s COVID-19 Testing page. ● Call your doctor or clinic: If you have insurance or a regular care provider, contact your doctor’s office or clinic to discuss whether you should be tested. ● If you don't have a doctor: Call 211 for help finding a clinic. They can help you even if you don't have insurance. You can also call the Health Department's Primary Care Clinics at 503-988-5558 to enroll as a new patient. ● The After Testing Guide covers: ○ Information on when to start and/or end isolation and quarantine ○ Resources and services for those who have to isolate or quarantine ○ When/how to tell close contacts and employers ○ Contact information for regional public health help ○ Basic COVID-19 prevention information Multnomah County Community testing is designed to help provide testing for people without health insurance, and people without a regular health care provider. ● No cost testing by appointment only, for anyone with symptoms or anyone who has had recent close contact with a person with COVID-19. ● You don't need to be a Multnomah County patient or have health insurance. ● You can get tested regardless of your immigration status. We will not share your information with law enforcement or immigration officials. ● We focus on reaching Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities, ● Please note: We will need to turn away walk-ups without appointments when we reach our maximum capacity. Maximum capacity can be reached early in the day. Therefore, we encourage people to call 503-988-8939 in advance to schedule appointments before arriving.