public health

All Of Oregon Coast Now Classified As 'Extreme Risk'

The designation means that indoor dining is banned and certain indoor businesses, like gyms and theaters, must close and indoor religious services are capped at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is smaller.

Dec 16, 2020

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Suicide Rates Not Up During Pandemic, Health Officials Say

"Oregon has not seen an increase in the number of suicides for the first nine months of 2020 when compared to the same time period in 2019,” an Oregon Health Authority communications official said.

Dec 16, 2020

Anthony Fauci is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases./National Institutes of Health

Take It From an Expert: Fauci’s Hierarchy of Safety During COVID

The nation's top infectious disease expert says he's reluctant to support a national mask mandate because that would mean that authorities would have to enforce it and that would be difficult to do.

Nov 19, 2020

Oregon Health & Science University staff collect samples of 600 people a day at two mobile testing sites in the Portland area. | OHSU

As Cases Rise, Counties Dial Back On Contact Tracing

Some counties have pared back on trying to trace every contact that someone with COVID-19 has had because they can’t keep up with the surge in cases.

Nov 18, 2020
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Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center has provided mobile COVID-19 testing to reach the Latino community. | VIRGINIA GARCIA

Virginia Garcia Offers More Free COVID-19 Testing

The health center has offered more than 6,600 tests, with a positive rate of nearly 12%, more than double the state average.

Nov 9, 2020

Health care workers at Providence Health wearing 3D printed face shields manufactured and donated by local makers. | COURTESY OF MAKERFORCE/PORTLAND 3D PRINTING LAB

Record Number Of COVID-19 Hospitalizations, New Cases In Oregon

Nov 6, 2020

Vaping appears to be on the rise. | KRISTIAN FODEN-VENCIL/OPB

Election Likely To Hand Budget Writers $330 Million, Mostly For Medicaid

The revenue is projected to stem from the passage of Measure 108, which raises tobacco taxes and creates a new tax on vaping products.

Nov 5, 2020

Jessica Guernsey will be Multnomah County's new public health director./Courtesy of Multnomah County

Multnomah County’s New Public Health Director Is No Stranger To Pandemics

Jessica Guernsey, who was involved in protecting the public against previous outbreaks, will lead the county’s response to COVID-19 and focus on trying to reduce health care disparities.

Oct 15, 2020
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