COVID-19 cases are rising again, and transmission upticks in Lane, Douglas and Jackson counties have renewed calls for indoor masking in public spaces.
The Oregon Health Authority reported an average of 1,500 new COVID-19 cases per day statewide over the last week.
The rise in cases has put the three Southwest Oregon counties back into the CDC-designated “high” category for transmission. Jackson County Medical Director Dr. Leona O’Keefe says they took into account both the number of cases and hospitalizations to determine risk.
File photo of a KN95 mask.
Scott Winkles
“What that implies for us as individuals is really a consideration for wearing a mask indoors when in public spaces,” O’Keefe said.
O’Keefe says the spread of COVID is likely higher than data from the health authority suggests because they don’t take into account results from home tests which are not reported to the state.
“Our hospitals still are typically operating beyond capacity, which means they’re using bed spaces for care that they don’t typically use,” O’Keefe said. “So that is still a factor at play.”
In OHA’s regions 3 and 5, which include Lane, Douglas and Jackson counties among others, 72 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Monday. Out of 148 beds in hospital ICUs, just 13 were open.
COVID vaccinations for the final eligible age group – children under 5 – are expected to be approved by the FDA this week.
