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Today, the state’s top health officer painted a positive outlook for spring after the most incredible respiratory virus spike Oregon has ever seen, saying that COVID-19, RSV, and influenza conditions are better overall than in months.
“As we prepare to move into spring in the next couple weeks, my sense of optimism is growing,” Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Health Officer and State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger said during a media briefing Thursday, March 9. “Today, I’m here to report that the near-term outlook for our state in the battle against COVID-19 and the other respiratory pathogens is good.”
Data
About 87% of adults aged 18 and up received at least one dose of COVID-19 immunizations. More than 25% received the bivalent booster shot, according to Sidelinger, who also noted that test positivity rates for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV had declined. “Rates for influenza and RSV (are) now regularly below the criteria at which we would consider circulation to be a developing concern,” he said.
Sidelinger cited recent governmental efforts as evidence of the optimistic outlook for respiratory viruses, such as:
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) declared on March 3 that masks would no longer be required in healthcare facilities starting April 3. It was a good step in our ongoing response to COVID-19, according to Sidelinger. COVID-19, RSV, and influenza spread indicators have all dropped dramatically over the past few months and are still falling.
Ex-Governor Kate Brown’s Dec. 7, 2022, Executive Order 22-24, which had been in effect until March 6, expired this past Monday, March 6.
Here’s the tweet about the hospitalization for the respiratory virus in Oregon
As Oregonians deal with COVID-19 and “handle the continual, but low-level presence of the virus in our communities,” Sidelinger suggested a shift from a state-level response to an emphasis on individual risk assessment.
OHA To Launch New Hospital Capacity Tracking Data System
This month, the new Oregon Capacity System will replace HOSCAP, the state’s web system for monitoring hospital capacity and COVID-19 hospitalization data (OCS).
Beginning on April 1, OHA’s hospital capacity dashboards will use data from OCS rather than HOSCAP. The adult non-intensive care unit bed statistics are inaccurate because OCS and HOSCAP classify some hospital beds differently. OHA reports from OCS will include adult medical/surgical and progressive adult care unit beds. The adult non-ICU beds noted correspond to HOSCAP’s medical/surgical and “other” bed categories.
It will be best if you read recent news:
- Oregon is Getting Closer to Using Magic Mushrooms As Therapy, But There Have Been Setbacks
- Lifting Of Secure Hold At All Oregon Schools
- Oregon Top Budget Officer Is The Most Recent Well-Known Departure
As a result of the shift to OCS and in light of evolving hospital requirements, OHA will no longer record information about hospitals’ protective equipment (PPE). The COVID-19 PPE summary dashboard will receive its final update on March 29. The remaining hospital capacity dashboards will continue to be updated every Wednesday. On April 5, the dashboards will reflect these modifications.