[Medford, Oregon] — May 23, 2020, Jackson County Public Health has two new confirmed COVID-19 cases to announce. This brings the total reported COVID-19 cases to 57 in Jackson County. At this time, there are no fatalities from COVID-19 reported in Jackson County. To access additional data on the total COVID-19 cases, visit the Situation in Jackson County, Oregon webpage.
As people begin staying home less and attend social gatherings, it is important to understand that the virus has not been eliminated, and there is no vaccine available to prevent people from getting this infection. Therefore, there is still a risk for people to become ill with COVID-19 and pass the illness on to others. Jackson County Public Health expects to see an increase in COVID-19 cases as people begin to move around more.
With the holiday weekend, it is still important that everyone stays close to home, avoiding overnight trips and minimize other non-essential travel, including recreational day trips to destinations outside the community where you live. Not all counties in Oregon will be reopening, and not all states have completely reopened; it is important that you are aware of the reopening status and restrictions in other locations outside of Jackson County. For people who are at risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19, it is best that you continue to stay home as much as possible, even if you feel well.
If you plan to recreate outdoors, here is a list of things to keep in mind:
- Visit parks and recreation areas close to the community where you live. Travel should still be reserved for essential reasons only.
- Limit your recreation activities and recreate only with the people you live with.
- Check to make sure your destination is open before you leave home.
- Plan and come prepared. There may not be as many services as you are used to.
- Restroom services may not be available. Plan to bring your own soap, water, hand sanitizer and toilet paper.
- Bring a water bottle and food.
- Bring a face-covering to cover your mouth and nose. Wear a face-covering when you are accessing public spaces that are indoors and where keeping 6 feet away from other people is hard to maintain.
- Visit less-crowded areas.
- If you are not feeling well, do not go! If you have COVID-19-like symptoms you should stay home, contact your medical provider and get tested.
The availability of testing has increased in Jackson County; therefore, if you develop mild symptoms of COVID-19 (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell), you should contact your medical provider. Your medical provider can make a referral for you to get tested at the appropriate location. You can also contact one of the medical clinics or healthcare systems that are providing testing. Testing and treatment for COVID-19 is available to all people, regardless of documentation status.
Current health centers or healthcare systems providing testing in Jackson County are:
- Asante: Services are available to everyone. Call your medical provider first, or call the Asante COVID-19 hotline at 541-789-2813. You can also visit https://www treatment.asante.org/.
- Providence: Services are available to everyone. If you are an established Providence patient, contact your medical provider. If you are a new patient, you can call 541-732-7700. If you are not an established patient, call Stewart Meadows Urgent Care 541-732-9362. You can also visit the Providence website https://coronavirus.providence.org/.
- La Clinica: Testing is available for current La Clinica patients, anyone in the community who is uninsured, has no other doctor, or anyone who speaks Spanish only. Call 541-535-6239 to speak with a nurse.
For more information:
The public can call 211-information with general questions
OHA Emerging Respiratory Disease page: www.healthoregon.org/coronavirus
CDC COVID-19 page: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Jackson County Health and Human Services: http://jacksoncountyor.org/hhs/COVID-19
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