With pediatric RSV cases rising, executive order to help strained hospitals

Available in Spanish On Monday, Nov. 14, Governor Kate Brown issued an emergency declaration in response to a surge of pediatric cases and hospitalizations of respiratory viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The declaration will give hospitals more flexibility to staff beds for children, draw on a pool of medical volunteer nurses and doctors and […]

Pediatric vaccine rollout highlights Benton County’s focus on health equity

Benton County Health Department’s director/administrator April Holland, MPH, CIC, recently shared good news about the county’s efforts to close vaccine equity gaps. What’s behind this success? As April shared, this indicates “the extremely important role” that school-based clinics have in reaching diverse populations.

FDA advisory committee finds that pediatric Pfizer vaccine benefits outweigh risks for children ages 5 to 11

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), a group of medical experts, recommended Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for administration of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 to 11. The Pfizer vaccine for this age group is a smaller dose (0.2 mL) than the Pfizer vaccine for ages 18+ (0.3 mL).

COVID-19 cases increasing among pediatric patients

COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are surging throughout Oregon. According to OHA’s latest Pediatric COVID-19 Report, cases are on the rise for children, too. A look at the case numbers OHA’s Pediatric COVID-19 Report provides a high-level overview of Oregon’s COVID-19 data for individuals ages 17 and younger. The newest report includes cases with onset dates […]

Governor Brown, OHA leadership discuss hospital crisis, vaccination requirements

Today, Governor Kate Brown announced new vaccination requirements for Oregon health care and K–12 staff during a press conference. Here’s what you need to know. Hospitals close to reaching capacity The requirements come during an alarming increase in hospitalizations. “With over 845 Oregonians hospitalized for COVID-19 and 226 in ICUs, our hospital and ICU beds […]