Jackson County Public Health reports 124 new COVID-19 cases as of 12:01 am on January 29, 2021. This update brings the total COVID-19 cases to 7,418.
On Saturday, January 30, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority will be performing maintenance on Opera. Opera is an integrated electronic disease surveillance system intended for local and state public health epidemiologists and disease investigators to efficiently investigate and manage COVID-19 reports. The maintenance will require the system to be down for the day, and given the downtime, Jackson County Public Health will not be reporting case data on Sunday.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Region 5 (Jackson and Josephine Counties) is 29, decreasing by 4 from the previous day. There are 8 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), decreasing by 3 from the previous day.
The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.
More information can be found on the OHA COVID-19 Data Dashboard.
For additional information, visit the Jackson County COVID-19 Data Dashboard at Situation in Jackson County, Oregon webpage. The Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard website does publish Jackson County COVID-19 data.
COVID-19 Vaccine Updates
Vaccination gives us hope that the pandemic will end, but in the meantime, we need to continue safety measures to keep the virus from spreading: Wear a mask, physically distance from others, wash your hands, avoid gatherings and stay home when you're sick.
Phase 1B, Group 1 (early childhood educators and staff, childcare providers and staff, public and private K-12 educators and staff) are now eligible to be vaccinated statewide. Those eligible in Phase 1B, Group 1, that have not received their first COVID-19 vaccine visit the Jackson County Health and Human Services COVID-19 Vaccine website to see where you can access the vaccine. Other COVID-19 providers are working directly with some organizations to assist with vaccinating individuals in Phase 1B, Group 1.
Oregon will open vaccines to all seniors over a four-week period starting with:
- Group 2: people 80 and older are eligible the week of February 7, 2021
- Group 3: people 75 and older are eligible the week of February 14, 2021
- Group 4: people 70 and older are eligible the week of February 21, 2021
- Group 5: people 65 and older are eligible the week of February 28, 2021
These timelines are based on how much vaccine will be available. Oregon's vaccine supply is limited, and it is estimated to take 12-15 weeks to vaccinate Groups 1-5 of Phase 1B. Current COVID-19 providers are not scheduling appointments for those in Groups 2-5 at this time. It is best to check the Jackson County Health and Human Services COVID-19 Vaccine for eligibility information and where you can receive the vaccine when it is your turn. COVID-19 providers are experiencing an increase in call volume and may not be able to answer your call.
"We at Jackson County Public Health understand the barriers that exist for many seniors to getting vaccinated for COVID-19: lack of transportation, unable to stand for long periods, the added risks of being out in public," says Dr. Jim Shames, Jackson County Health Officer. "We are doing all we can, in cooperation with the Oregon Health Authority and many community partners, to create vaccine distribution strategies that will accommodate individual needs. We want to thank you for your patience and be assured; you are not going to be left out of this important process."
For more information:
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