Douglas County COVID-19 Response Team - Daily Local Update - April 18, 2020

Douglas Co. Government

(Douglas County, Ore.) We have been talking about the warmer Spring weather the last few days, which brings up a few other frequent questions we receive.  Questions like; “Are our Douglas County Parks back open?”, and “Why are our boat ramps and boat docks closed?”  First, the Douglas County Parks Department would like the public to know that nothing has changed since the March 23, 2020 Executive Orders # 20-12 were issued from the State of Oregon, prompting your Douglas County Commissioners to enact closures for specific Douglas County Departments. These measures will remain in place until such a date that the orders are lifted by your State or County Officials.  For a copy of the press release outlining the County orders click here.   

Our Douglas County operated parks and campgrounds remain closed.  While the closure applies to campsites, restrooms and showers, playgrounds and play structures, picnic tables and picnic areas, gazebos and pavilions and disc golf courses, County operated boat ramps and boat docks remain open for public use.  We do encourage boaters and fisherman to comply by the 6-foot people distancing, frequent hand washing and cough covering measures that are currently in place.

We understand that it might be difficult to differentiate between City, County, State and Federally operated parks, so for a complete list of Douglas County operated parks and campgrounds, click here.  If you do not see a park, boat ramp or campground on our County list, then it is operated by another agency and we have no jurisdiction for the closures.  For, inquiries for all other parks, we are asking residents to contact local city park offices, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, the US Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management. 

Local COVID-19 Test Results

As of 12:00 pm, April 18, 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 667 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 COVID-19.  

Shout out moment! 
For the third week in a row our amazing drive through clinic team, led by DPHN was able to conduct three clinics per week, two in Roseburg and one in Reedsport each of those weeks.  That’s is a pretty impressive feat.  The drive through clinic in Roseburg on Friday, April 17, saw 22 people tested, while today, April 18, the Reedsport clinic saw 6 people tested.  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 334 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.

State Issues Order to Protect Oregonians from Garnishment of CARES Act Recovery Rebate Payments

Yesterday, State Officials issued Executive Order 20-18, preventing creditors or debt collectors from garnishing federal CARES Act recovery rebate payments. The order corrects an oversight in the federal legislation, ensuring that Oregonians can use the funds for their intended purpose: covering the costs of essential needs during the COVID-19 public health crisis.

The order gives Oregonians receiving CARES Act rebates the same protection from garnishment as the recipients of other government payments, such as Social Security, disability, and veterans’ benefits. The protection does not extend to garnishments due to criminal actions requiring restitution or civil judgments based on a criminal conviction. As provided by the CARES Act, past-due child support may still be deducted before rebates are deposited in bank accounts.  For more information log onto the Oregon Department of Justice.

Time Capsule Activity for Kids

We’re living through a unique time, and here is a kids’ activity that will both capture this strange experience we’re having and provide an outlet for your child’s creativity. It’s a free download called the “COVID-19 Time Capsule” that includes a number of writing, coloring and other activities focused on children’s feelings, thoughts and experiences during the pandemic. The download was created by Natalie Long of LONG creations. Her page also includes a Spanish-language version of the kids’ time capsule, as well as a version for adults. “We are all living through history, and something I have said I wanted to do from the beginning is make a keepsake of this moment for us to look back on,” Long said on the website.

Taking up a new hobby is a good way to burn off some of the restless energy we feel while sheltering at home. Some companies are stepping forward to offer free online courses during COVID-19, including Nikon, which is offering free photography courses, including for beginners, during the month of April. Interested in learning to cook? BBC Food offers free video cooking-technique tips on everything from de-seeding tomatoes to how to cook asparagus. Good Housekeeping is streaming free craft classes on its Facebook page; recent topics have included clothespin painting and toilet-paper-roll crafts.
Other Ways to Help

Those who would like to make a financial donation to the local COVID-19 Community Response may do so by visiting the Greater Douglas United Way Website at www.gduway.org.  They have organized a local COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.  100% of your donation will go to help local people in need as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  GDUW has also pledged that they will not be charging any administrative fees on the fund.  GDUW will focus the funding on basic needs through local nonprofits, childcare needs, and other basic needs for people affected by the pandemic. Deposits can be made at any Banner Bank location using the GDUW COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.

Help Fill the Blood Donation Spots – Sign Up Today!
Yes, these are uncertain times, but leaving home to donate blood is considered a lifesaving and essential need. Those who are healthy, feeling well and eligible to give blood or platelets, are urged to make an appointment to donate as soon as possible by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting www.RedCrossBlood.org or calling (800) 733-2767.? Donate your blood and save a life.

Local Mask Efforts

If you would like a homemade mask please contact Douglas County Helpers via their Facebook page or email at s@gmail.com">douglascountyhelpers@gmail.com.The Umpqua Sewing Warriors is also making homemade masks and may reached on their Facebook page. The group The Timber Faller’s Daughter is working in Reedsport on this effort. You can also find them on Facebook. If you would like to make your own mask, the pattern that many organizations locally have been using can be found 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 AuthorityCenters 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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