News & Stories for Oregonians
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Director Pat Allen and Oregon Department of Education (ODE) Director Colt Gill were joined by State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger today to announce two new developments in the course of the pandemic: lifting outdoor mask mandates and launching the Test to Stay program in public and private schools.
Every layer matters. Masks help students, educators, staff and volunteers from getting or spreading COVID-19.
Getting tested for COVID-19 might feel scary to some children. As parents or guardians, we want to make it as easy as possible for them. Preparing our kids for a COVID-19 test ahead of time can help make it less uncomfortable. You know your kids best and you know what works for them. Think ahead […]
As we see an increase in cases and hospitalizations, many of us may be remembering how we have flattened the curve when our hospitals and health care systems were threatened in the past. Let’s recommit to taking steps to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our communities. We can rise to the challenge. Get vaccinated […]
Today, Governor Kate Brown announced that Oregon had finalized contracts with the medical staffing companies Jogan Health Solutions and AMN Healthcare to deploy much needed health care personnel to health care facilities managing the ongoing surge of COVID-19 patients. “The deployment of crisis response teams should provide some welcome relief to our hospitals, particularly in […]
Note: On July 27, 2021, in response to a large jump in cases and hospitalizations and new national guidance calling for masking measures to prevent the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, the Oregon Health Authority recommended universal mask use in public indoor settings throughout the state to protect Oregonians from COVID-19. You can […]
This weekend will mark the first holiday in over 15 months without COVID-19 restrictions in place. While that’s cause for celebration, there is also still reason to stay cautious. People who have not yet been fully vaccinated — including children under 12 who can’t yet get the vaccine — are still vulnerable to the virus. […]
As we move firmly into summer, many people in Oregon are planning to travel. After such a long time without feeling safe about taking a vacation or visiting loved ones that live far, it’s exciting to imagine returning to our usual summer activities. It’s also important to consider safe choices for travel this summer. Here […]
Last summer was difficult for most of us, but COVID-19 uniquely impacted younger people. At an age where kids often explore independence and build new relationships, last year they were asked to stay home, stay physically distant, meet up over screens and wear face coverings. While these things were necessary to reduce the spread of […]
You may be wondering why cases have been on the rise recently, especially as we see an increase in vaccination across the state. There are two answers to this question – variants that are more transmissible and increased social gatherings without face coverings. The CDC and OHA are closely monitoring variants of concern (VOC). VOCs are variants that have mutations in the virus […]
