News & Stories for Oregonians
Before March 2020, Christine Palmer would have described herself as “one of those moms you see jogging behind a stroller.” The Oregon native was an outgoing, active 42-year-old with “boundless energy.” She used to bike to her education job. She rarely felt sick. That was before she came down with COVID-19, a completely new disease at the time, with no […]
False: COVID-19 tests cannot tell the difference between COVID-19 and the flu, so if you have a positive COVID-19 test it could just be the flu. True: COVID-19 tests are designed to specifically recognize SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The do not detect influenza or other common cold viruses. There are certain tests designed […]
Grabbing a mask before heading out the door remains part of our daily lives. But with the highly contagious Omicron variant still spreading across Oregon, some of our masks may not be protecting us as much as they did against previous COVID-19 variants. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their masking […]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new data highlighting the role of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters in preventing severe illness. For the month of Dec. 2021, the risk of hospitalization in unvaccinated people as compared to people who had received an initial series of a COVID-19 vaccine was: Nine times higher in people ages 12-17 12 times higher […]
Eight-year-old Emiliano Rangel couldn’t wait to get his COVID-19 vaccine. His mom, Maria Rangel, got hers first; next came sister and brother, Ruby, 15, and Giovanni, 14. But Emiliano was still too young. “Ever since he saw his brother and sister vaccinated, he asked ‘When is the vaccine coming for me?’” recalled Maria, bilingual programs coordinator for NW Disability Support. “He was extra cautious. He […]
After two years of fighting COVID-19, one big lesson we’ve learned is that good, snug masks can significantly slow the virus’ spread. Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its masking recommendations to recommend N95 and KN95 masks over other types of masks.
1/25/2022: This blog has been updated to reflect new approval and authorization from the FDA for the antiviral drug remdesivir. The best way to fight COVID-19 is to avoid getting it in the first place. That means wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping gatherings small and outdoors if possible and getting vaccinated (including a booster dose if eligible.) But the […]
We’re all tired. We’re all stressed, unsure of what lies ahead. It’s been nearly two years since the COVID-19 pandemic upended our lives, and it’s getting old. The result? Pandemic fatigue – a mixed bag of emotions and behaviors that leaves us feeling just not ourselves. It takes a notable toll on both our mental and physical health. We talked with psychiatrist and Oregon Health Authority senior health advisor Dr. Margaret “Meg” Cary about pandemic fatigue, its effects and what we can do about it.
“One of the main reasons people come to our clinics is they feel comfortable,” said Pérez, Olalla Center Outreach Program Manager. “We offer tacos, drinks, music. They bring their kids. We always try to make it fun. It doesn’t feel like a clinic, more like a gathering, an event. We aren’t just open to migrants; we are open to everyone. We don’t want to separate the population; we want to unify and have a strong community.”
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has launched a new website that includes what to do if you test positive, if you have been exposed, and how to seek resources if you’re isolating at home and need support. The website also includes a voluntary survey for people who’ve tested positive to help OHA and the larger community understand how and where the virus is spreading.
