Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team - Daily Local Update - April 17, 2020
Douglas Co. Government
Local COVID-19 Test Results
As of 12:00 pm, April 17, 2020, there are no new cases of COVID-19 reported in Douglas County. The number of positive cases remains at twenty-three total in the county. Of the twenty-three, ten have recovered and two are currently hospitalized at different hospitals. There have been zero deaths and 632 negative tests for COVID-19 in the county. Douglas Public Health Network continues their epidemiologic investigations, identifying individuals who may have had close contact with individuals that have tested positive for COVID-19, and advising quarantine. Ten of the individuals who tested positive earlier have now recovered. DPHN defines recovery as an end to all symptoms after a positive test for
Another drive through COVID-19 clinic, led by DPHN is taking place today, Friday April 17, in Roseburg. The third drive through clinic is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, in Reedsport. At this time, you can only get a COVID-19 test through your healthcare provider. Residents must be identified by their health care provider. Information has been given to providers and clinics about how to get their patients signed up for the drive-through testing clinics. If you want to be tested, you must talk to your health care provider. Tests are currently being processed at the Oregon State Public Health Lab and a growing number of commercial labs, like Quest and LabCorp. There are a few outpatient clinics in Douglas County offering testing at this time. Community health partners are working very hard to make testing available to a wider number of people.
The first drive thru testing site was piloted in the county on March 17, 2020, there have been 306 people tested so far in the drive through clinics. The drive through clinics are led by DPHN, in conjunction with partner agencies including; Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team, Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Public Works, local volunteers and local health professionals.
Oregon COVID-19 Case Update
Oregon Health Authority reports new cases once a day on its website at www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus. The Oregon Health Authority is also releasing the daily situation status report, which is produced jointly with Oregon Office of Emergency Management. It details the overall picture of the COVID-19 outbreak within the state and the response across government agencies. Read more here about the daily situation status report.
What is Convalescent Plasma?
There has been some talk about the term, convalescent plasma in the news recently. There is an effort by the American Red Cross and other blood collection organizations to help hospitals treat COVID-19 patients through convalescent plasma. The Red Cross has partnered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to collect plasma from patients who have recovered from an infection and have antibodies that might help fight that infection – in this case patients who have fully recovered from COVID-19. Two weeks ago, the Red Cross began collecting and distributing the first convalescent plasma donations to help patients in immediate need. Since distributing these products, two of the patients have since improved significantly and are being weaned off the use of a ventilator.
People will probably have a few questions regarding donor eligibility, and we asked the Red Cross to provide link more information. You may qualify to donate plasma for coronavirus patients if you meet specific convalescent plasma and regular blood donation eligibility requirements:
Facebook Live with Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer
Join us tonight, Friday, April 17, for the next virtual town hall Q&A with Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, your Douglas County Public Health Officer, hosted by DPHN and found on their DPHN Facebook page.
COVID-19 Scams Are Abundant, BUT You Can Avoid Them
Scammers are using the COVID-19 pandemic to prey on people through fraudulent schemes. Since Jan. 1, Americans have lost $13.4 million to coronavirus-related fraud, according to the FTC.
Show Your Support for Military Youth
Purple Up! Day is a worldwide event that is part of the month long celebrations for the Month of the Military Child. The day aims to show support for Military Youth. Military Youth are those that currently have a loved one serving in the Armed Forces, especially those that have loved ones deployed overseas. The event encourages everyone to wear the color purple all day today, Friday, April 17, 2020, as a visual way to show support and thank our military children for their strength and sacrifice. This message was shared from the Oregon Army National Guard and your Douglas County Commissioners. For more information on Purple Up and the Month of the Military Child, click here. #ORPurpleUp.
Legal Aid Shares Info on SSI Recipients, New Rules for Court Fines & Fees
The Roseburg office of Legal Aid Services of Oregon is remaining active during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist low-income residents with legal matters including tenant rights, elder law, discrimination, abuse protection, unemployment and more. While the office itself is closed, phone assistance is available Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call (541) 673-1182.
Any calls not answered immediately will be returned. Services are available in Spanish.
Legal Aid is spreading the word that adults on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) no longer need to apply with the IRS to get their stimulus checks – but if they have children under 17 in their home, they do need to visit the IRS website to ensure they get the extra stimulus money for each child. Only veterans who did not file taxes in 2018 or 2019 need to fill out the extra form.
Legal Aid also wants residents to know that Oregon State Courts have taken steps to ease the burden of court fines, fees and collections during the COVID-19 pandemic. On a temporary basis, the Courts will no longer:
Daily Tips: It’s Dinner and a Movie Night Friday – Spy Night!
We are all about a family night tonight with delivery or take out from your favorite local pizza place paired with the 2019 PG animated adventure, action comedy, ‘Spies in Disguise.’ Many local video stores are still open, but you might want to call ahead to reserve your copy and check their hours. This movie can also found at many Red Box locations, and downloaded or streamed using Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime. Get online to search for local pizza joints near you with Google, GrubHub, DoorDash, Yelp or call your favorite place. Remember to support local businesses and order takeout or delivery tonight.
Spies in Disguise: Super spy Lance Sterling and scientist Walter Beckett are almost exact opposites. Lance is smooth, suave and debonair. Walter is not. But what Walter lacks in social skills he makes up for in smarts and invention, creating the awesome gadgets Lance uses on his epic missions. But when events take an unexpected turn, Walter and Lance suddenly have to rely on each other in a whole new way. And if this odd couple can't learn to work as a team, the whole world is in peril. Check out the movie trailer here.
Stay Informed with the Accurate Information
Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Public Health Officer, Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer and the Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team have been working hard to cooperatively provide accurate and timely information and a response to Douglas County residents. If you have questions about resources available, call the COVID-19 hotline, staffed by local volunteers at (541) 464-6550. Stay up to date on COVID-19 in Douglas County on the DPHN website at www.douglaspublichealthnetwork.org.
Find additional information on state, federal and international COVID-19 response from the following websites: Oregon Health Authority, Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization and by calling or logging onto 211Info.
Local case data includes all tests done in the county, and are not exclusive to DPHN testing. Further, reporting numbers are accurate as of time listed on this release. These numbers may not match other organizations, who report at different times of the day.
(Douglas County, Ore.) The sunshine is abundant and everyone is anxious to get outside, but we want to remind our residents that the stay home orders from the State of Oregon are still actively in place. While it appears that things are slowing down, the fact is that the COVID-19 crisis is far from over. The great work we are all doing in staying home is having an impact on slowing the curve for spread of the virus in our county and our state. Please keep up your valuable stay ‘homework’! We will continue to encourage residents to follow the ‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ guidelines, that includes the please stay home, seek medical care if you are sick, wash your hands frequently, cover your coughs, limit travel to necessary trips and maintain a healthy lifestyle messaging.
Local COVID-19 Test Results
As of 12:00 pm, April 17, 2020, there are no new cases of COVID-19 reported in Douglas County. The number of positive cases remains at twenty-three total in the county. Of the twenty-three, ten have recovered and two are currently hospitalized at different hospitals. There have been zero deaths and 632 negative tests for COVID-19 in the county. Douglas Public Health Network continues their epidemiologic investigations, identifying individuals who may have had close contact with individuals that have tested positive for COVID-19, and advising quarantine. Ten of the individuals who tested positive earlier have now recovered. DPHN defines recovery as an end to all symptoms after a positive test for
Another drive through COVID-19 clinic, led by DPHN is taking place today, Friday April 17, in Roseburg. The third drive through clinic is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, in Reedsport. At this time, you can only get a COVID-19 test through your healthcare provider. Residents must be identified by their health care provider. Information has been given to providers and clinics about how to get their patients signed up for the drive-through testing clinics. If you want to be tested, you must talk to your health care provider. Tests are currently being processed at the Oregon State Public Health Lab and a growing number of commercial labs, like Quest and LabCorp. There are a few outpatient clinics in Douglas County offering testing at this time. Community health partners are working very hard to make testing available to a wider number of people.
The first drive thru testing site was piloted in the county on March 17, 2020, there have been 306 people tested so far in the drive through clinics. The drive through clinics are led by DPHN, in conjunction with partner agencies including; Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team, Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Public Works, local volunteers and local health professionals.
Oregon COVID-19 Case Update
Oregon Health Authority reports new cases once a day on its website at www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus. The Oregon Health Authority is also releasing the daily situation status report, which is produced jointly with Oregon Office of Emergency Management. It details the overall picture of the COVID-19 outbreak within the state and the response across government agencies. Read more here about the daily situation status report.
What is Convalescent Plasma?
There has been some talk about the term, convalescent plasma in the news recently. There is an effort by the American Red Cross and other blood collection organizations to help hospitals treat COVID-19 patients through convalescent plasma. The Red Cross has partnered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to collect plasma from patients who have recovered from an infection and have antibodies that might help fight that infection – in this case patients who have fully recovered from COVID-19. Two weeks ago, the Red Cross began collecting and distributing the first convalescent plasma donations to help patients in immediate need. Since distributing these products, two of the patients have since improved significantly and are being weaned off the use of a ventilator.
People will probably have a few questions regarding donor eligibility, and we asked the Red Cross to provide link more information. You may qualify to donate plasma for coronavirus patients if you meet specific convalescent plasma and regular blood donation eligibility requirements:
- You are at least 17 years old and weigh 110 lbs. Additional weight requirements apply for donors age 18 or younger.
- In good health. You generally feel well, even if you're being treated for a chronic condition.
- Have a prior, verified diagnosis of COVID-19, but are now symptom free and fully recovered from COVID-19.
Recovered COVID-19 patients who meet the above criteria and would like to participate in the program are encouraged to sign up at RedCrossBlood.org/Plasma4Covid. Since the establishment of this site, thousands have registered their interest in helping. The hope is to collected hundreds more donations in the coming weeks to meet urgent nationwide hospital needs.
Facebook Live with Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer
Join us tonight, Friday, April 17, for the next virtual town hall Q&A with Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, your Douglas County Public Health Officer, hosted by DPHN and found on their DPHN Facebook page.
COVID-19 Scams Are Abundant, BUT You Can Avoid Them
Scammers are using the COVID-19 pandemic to prey on people through fraudulent schemes. Since Jan. 1, Americans have lost $13.4 million to coronavirus-related fraud, according to the FTC.
Here are the Top Six COVID-19 Scams, according to the Better Business Bureau:
- Phony cures and fake masks – Scammers send emails or other messages claiming to have protective equipment, a cure or a vaccine the government is supposedly keeping secret. Here are more details about those scams.
- Stimulus check scams – Scammers send out fake economic impact checks and ask consumers to pay fees to get their money earlier than what the IRS has promised. Examples are here.
- Phishing scams – These are attempts to gain access to your computer remotely, or to your personal or your company’s information. The scammer may claim to be offering IT support or may say that your computer has a virus and you must act immediately to fix it. In the past week, Google has intercepted 18 million phishing emails related to COVID-19.
- Government impersonation – People have received fake emails and text messages claiming the government needs you to take an “online coronavirus test” by clicking on a link. If you click on the link, the scammers can download malware onto your computer and access your personal info.
- Employment scams – These often involve fake job listings – sometimes using real company names - offering work-from-home jobs with good pay. After you’re hired, the scammer may charge you up front for “training” or ask for your bank account number to set up direct deposit. You may be “accidentally” overpaid with a fake check and asked to deposit the check and wire back the difference. Here are tips for spotting phony job offerings.
- Price gouging – As supplies like hand sanitizer, toilet paper and face masks sell out, scammers hoard these items then resell them online or in person at extremely high prices. Additionally, some online sellers accept payment for things like N95 masks but never deliver the goods.
Scammers contact their victims through email, text, phone calls, social media and other means. Here are some ways to avoid falling victim to a fraudulent scheme:
- View any outreach from a stranger with a critical eye – especially those who ask for your personal information such as social security, bank account number or your computer password.
- If something seems to good to be true, it likely is.
- Don’t click on links in text messages, social media messages or emails from unfamiliar senders.
- Remember that the government will never call to ask for money or your Social Security card, bank account info or credit card numbers.
- Anyone who tells you to pay by Western Union or Money Gram, or by putting money on a gift card, is a scammer. Legitimate businesses will never tell you to pay through those methods.
Scams can be reported to the Better Business Bureau or the Federal Trade Commission. Price gouging can be reported to Oregon’s new price-gouging hotline at (503) 378-8442. Sign up with Oregon’s Scam Alert Network to receive updates on the latest scams.
Show Your Support for Military Youth
Purple Up! Day is a worldwide event that is part of the month long celebrations for the Month of the Military Child. The day aims to show support for Military Youth. Military Youth are those that currently have a loved one serving in the Armed Forces, especially those that have loved ones deployed overseas. The event encourages everyone to wear the color purple all day today, Friday, April 17, 2020, as a visual way to show support and thank our military children for their strength and sacrifice. This message was shared from the Oregon Army National Guard and your Douglas County Commissioners. For more information on Purple Up and the Month of the Military Child, click here. #ORPurpleUp.
Legal Aid Shares Info on SSI Recipients, New Rules for Court Fines & Fees
The Roseburg office of Legal Aid Services of Oregon is remaining active during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist low-income residents with legal matters including tenant rights, elder law, discrimination, abuse protection, unemployment and more. While the office itself is closed, phone assistance is available Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call (541) 673-1182.
Any calls not answered immediately will be returned. Services are available in Spanish.
Legal Aid is spreading the word that adults on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) no longer need to apply with the IRS to get their stimulus checks – but if they have children under 17 in their home, they do need to visit the IRS website to ensure they get the extra stimulus money for each child. Only veterans who did not file taxes in 2018 or 2019 need to fill out the extra form.
Legal Aid also wants residents to know that Oregon State Courts have taken steps to ease the burden of court fines, fees and collections during the COVID-19 pandemic. On a temporary basis, the Courts will no longer:
- Impose late fees on judgments over 30 days old
- Order driver’s license suspensions for failing to pay a fine within 30 days
- Impose collection fees or refer cases to the Department of Revenue or collections firms
- Issue new garnishments
Individual courts and judges are allowed to continue pursuing collection actions on delinquent debt if a court determines such actions should take place. If you have questions about these temporary court rules specific to your case, email ack@ojd.state.or.us">cjofeedback@ojd.state.or.us. Additionally, Legal Aid is disseminating information on workplaces and unemployment benefits, tenant rights (also available in Spanish), and worker benefits (also available in Spanish). Follow Legal Aid’s Facebook page or visit its website for more information.
Daily Tips: It’s Dinner and a Movie Night Friday – Spy Night!
We are all about a family night tonight with delivery or take out from your favorite local pizza place paired with the 2019 PG animated adventure, action comedy, ‘Spies in Disguise.’ Many local video stores are still open, but you might want to call ahead to reserve your copy and check their hours. This movie can also found at many Red Box locations, and downloaded or streamed using Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime. Get online to search for local pizza joints near you with Google, GrubHub, DoorDash, Yelp or call your favorite place. Remember to support local businesses and order takeout or delivery tonight.
Spies in Disguise: Super spy Lance Sterling and scientist Walter Beckett are almost exact opposites. Lance is smooth, suave and debonair. Walter is not. But what Walter lacks in social skills he makes up for in smarts and invention, creating the awesome gadgets Lance uses on his epic missions. But when events take an unexpected turn, Walter and Lance suddenly have to rely on each other in a whole new way. And if this odd couple can't learn to work as a team, the whole world is in peril. Check out the movie trailer here.
Stay Informed with the Accurate Information
Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Public Health Officer, Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer and the Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team have been working hard to cooperatively provide accurate and timely information and a response to Douglas County residents. If you have questions about resources available, call the COVID-19 hotline, staffed by local volunteers at (541) 464-6550. Stay up to date on COVID-19 in Douglas County on the DPHN website at www.douglaspublichealthnetwork.org.
Find additional information on state, federal and international COVID-19 response from the following websites: Oregon Health Authority, Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization and by calling or logging onto 211Info.
Local case data includes all tests done in the county, and are not exclusive to DPHN testing. Further, reporting numbers are accurate as of time listed on this release. These numbers may not match other organizations, who report at different times of the day.
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