Jackson County Public Health reports 47 new COVID-19 cases as of 12:01 am on February 4, 2021. This update brings the total COVID-19 cases to 7,644.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Region 5 (Jackson and Josephine Counties) is 23, decreasing by 2 from the previous day. There are 5 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), increasing by 1 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
Next week, Oregonians age 80 and above can begin getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Older adults age 65 and above will become eligible to get a vaccine over the following 3 weeks.
Currently, the COVID-19 vaccine supply is very limited in Oregon. With this short supply and high demand, we know more seniors will want to get vaccinated than there will be vaccines available to them in the coming weeks. This means that every older adult will not be able to get an appointment as soon as they want one.
Every senior will be able to get a vaccine, but it will take some time. There are more than 50,000 people aged 65 or older in Jackson County and 750,000 in Oregon. While Oregon has already vaccinated more than 100,000 people aged 60 and older, state health officials estimate it will take until mid-April to vaccinate more than 7 in 10 Oregon seniors.
For next week, Jackson County Public Health will receive a total of 2,100 doses of the Moderna vaccine, with only 1,300 of those doses allocated from the state for individuals 80 and older. This allotment will be pushed out to other COVID-19 providers that will be vaccinating individuals 80 years and older. Jackson County Public Health will have vaccine available for individuals 80 years and older, but these appointments will be limited. It is best to go online to Jackson County Health and Human Services COVID-19 vaccine website, scroll down to the section titled "Where to Get Vaccinated in Jackson." There is an online form to request an appointment. Some of the COVID-19 vaccine providers will be reaching out directly to their patients to schedule vaccine appointments.
Jackson County Public Health and our healthcare partners are encouraged by the number of people wanting to be vaccinated and we are all eager to provide the vaccine. We appreciate the community's patience; we are all doing the best we can –as fast as we can –with the available resources we have.
Jackson County Public Health continues to meet with new COVID-19 vaccine providers recently approved by the Oregon Health Authority, such as primary care medical offices and Fred Meyers and Bi-Mart pharmacies, to understand their capabilities to vaccinate eligible individuals. Our goal is to have as many COVID-19 vaccine providers available to vaccinate those that are eligible. There will also be additional retail pharmacies receiving vaccine allocation from the federal government that will be available soon. Jackson County Public Health will provide additional information as it is made available.
The Jackson County Health and Human Services COVID-19 Vaccine website will be updated over the next couple of days with locations where individuals 80 and older can access the vaccine.
For nursing homes, independent living centers, and other facilities, pharmacy partners are vaccinating residents and staff at senior residences and care facilities. Residents (or family members) can ask their facility operator when their residence is scheduled for a vaccination clinic.
You can help make the vaccination process better for Oregon seniors
Since the start of the pandemic, Oregon has prioritized protecting seniors. While every COVID-19 fatality is tragic, Oregon has the second-lowest COVID-19 infection rate among seniors, and the third-lowest death rate among seniors, in the nation.
Your partnership has helped save lives. We are committed to sharing information with you as we continue to roll-out Oregon's vaccination program. We hope you will keep seniors, family members, and caregivers stay informed, stay patient and keep safe as we work together to vaccinate every older Oregonian. It will also be important that you are available to help seniors schedule their COVID-19 vaccination appointment and provide safe transportation for them if needed.
Additional resources on vaccine eligibility and where to access the vaccine:
- Oregon Health Authority's Vaccine Prioritization website: https://covidvaccine.oregon.gov/#prioritization
- 211 Information is also available to answer questions about vaccine eligibility and access.
- Text ORCOVID to 898211 to get text/SMS updates (English and Spanish only)
- Email ORCOVID@211info.org (All languages)
- Call 211 or 1-866-698-6155 from 6 am – 7 pm daily, including holidays
For more information:
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