State Executive Order #20-12: What it Means for Douglas County (Douglas County, Ore.) Today, Monday, March 23, Oregon Governor and State Officials issued Executive Order 20-12, “Stay Home, Save Lives,” ordering all Oregonians to stay at home, closing specified retail businesses, requiring social distancing measures for other public and private facilities and imposing requirements for outdoor areas and licensed childcare facilities. To view the Oregon Executive Order No. 20-12, click here.

Pursuant with today’s Executive Order, enacted to help combat the spread of the coronavirus, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners have issued the following orders pertaining to Douglas County Government, their Departments and their employees. The Commissioners are making Public Safety, Juvenile Services, Senior Services and Public Health the priority during this crisis. Please These measures will remain in place until such a date that the orders are lifted by your State or County Officials.

Douglas County Courthouse Building Closed to Public Effective 8:00 am on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, the Douglas County Courthouse Building, located at 1036 SE Douglas Avenue in Roseburg will be closed to the public. There will still be staff working in the buildings and via telecommunication, as such most offices will still be able to assist you via phone, email and online. Please check the Douglas County Government website at www.co.douglas.or.us for specific Department information or call (541) 673-3311 for a County Department Directory or you may call the County Department directly.

Douglas County Fairgrounds and RV Park Closed Effective 8:00 am Wednesday, March 24, 2020, the Douglas County Fairgrounds and RV Park will be closed. Anyone that has future events or reservations will be notified of the closure and can discuss cancellation or have the event placed on hold for a future date. Please call the Douglas County Fairgrounds at (541) 957-7010 for more information.

All Douglas County Parks and Campgrounds Closed Effective 8:00 am Wednesday, March 25, 2020, ALL Douglas County operated parks and campgrounds will be closed. This will include the closure of entrances, parking, restrooms and showers, playgrounds, picnic areas, gazebos and pavilions, disc golf courses, camp sites, docks and boat ramps. Anyone that currently has campground reservations will be notified of the closure and offered a refund or have their reservation placed on hold for a future date. The Parks Department will not be processing any new reservations or approving any special day-use or permits during the closure.

Douglas County Senior Dining Sites: Douglas County Senior Services already closed the Senior Dining Sites to on-site meals, but they are still offering their drive up Curb Service at all Douglas County sites. Please call (541) 440-3677 for more information, dates and times.

Douglas County Museum and Umpqua River Lighthouse Museum Closed Effective 10:00 am on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, both the Douglas County Museum of History and Natural History, located at 123 Museum Drive in Roseburg, and the Umpqua River Lighthouse Museum, located at 1020 Lighthouse Road in Winchester Bay will be closed to the public.

Douglas County Juvenile Detention Facilities: Effective immediately, the Douglas County Juvenile Department will be locking doors and restricting visits for all outside visitors, except where required or necessary for all Douglas County operated Juvenile programs. If you would like to communicate with a youth in one of our programs, please call the following numbers and arrange a phone or video conference with Juvenile Department Staff. Detention Center: (541) 464-6401; Rising Light: (541) 464-6660; River Rock: (541) 464-6406; Fowler: (541) 464-6585.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office: The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office business lobby will be closed to the public until further notice; unless the individual is directed by the Douglas County Circuit Court to conduct court related business within. 9-1-1 dispatch, law enforcement and jail services remain operational 24/7.Additional measures already in effect include:

In-Person Inmate Visitation: Suspended until further notice. The Sheriff’s Office has worked with our telephone vendor and arranged for inmates to have two phone calls per week free of charge. Additional calls or video chat is also available for a fee by visiting www.icssolutions.com. Video visitation can be done from any electronic device equipped with a webcam.

Records Division: Suspending all public fingerprinting services until further notice; this includes pre-employment and background fingerprinting.

Citizen Ride-Along Program suspended until further notice.

Concealed Handgun Licensing: Temporary hold on the processing of new concealed handgun license applications which require fingerprints and photographs. Residents are highly encouraged to visit the DCSO website www.dcso.com before coming to the lobby as many answers to questions and forms may be available online. Additional inquires may be made by telephone by calling (541) 440-4450 or by e-mail to dcsoinfo@co.douglas.or.us. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to provide law enforcement services 24/7, even during this emergency. They are however encouraging them to take additional precautions to reduce the risk potential. This may include taking reports by telephone when circumstances allow.

Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Public Health Official, Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer, officials from Douglas Public Health Network (DPHN), Douglas County Emergency Management, Aviva Health, Mercy Medical Center, Evergreen Family Medicine and Umpqua Health Alliance are working hard to cooperatively provide accurate and timely COVID-19 information and response to Douglas County residents.

On Tuesday, March 17, 2020 Douglas Public Health Network conducted a pilot testing drive through procedure for potential COVID-19 patients in Douglas County. Residents that were tested were identified by their health care provider, as a patient that was symptomatic, and needed to be tested. This was the first time such drive through testing for COVID-19 was done in Douglas County. Up until now tests were collected sporadically at clinics and sent to the Oregon State Public Health lab and then the CDC. DPHN modeled the pilot after 3 years of successful flu-vaccine clinics.

Local medical leaders, including Dr. Dannenhoffer and Dr. Jason Gray, Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Medical Center performed the actual tests on Tuesday.

“Testing is the best way for us to attempt to control the spread of the Coronavirus,“ said Douglas County Public Health Officer Bob Dannenhoffer. “When we can determine the number of positive cases in the community, where they have gone, and who they have come in contact with, we can also notify people who may had contact with them and recommend they quarantine themselves.”

The pilot testing was done at the Douglas County Fairgrounds utilizing a drive through process and local health care providers. Completed tests have been sent to Quest, a commercial laboratory for processing. The results of the tests should be known in two to four days. Test results will be sent from the laboratory back to the health care provider that ordered the test.

The drive through process allows for multiple people to be seen in a manner that is safe for the patient and the provider. Doing several tests consecutively also helps to conserve valuable high-tech masks, which providers need to wear and are in short supply nationwide. Such protective equipment is likely to be short supply during this pandemic. Most of the protective equipment used in hospitals is disposable and is single use only. The drive-thru clinic allowed the use of powered personal respirators that could be used for multiple patients while providing maximal protection for the health care providers doing the tests.

“The pilot was a success,” said Tim Freeman Douglas County Commissioner. “We are one of the first places in the state to increase availability and accessibility of testing while also preserving patient confidentiality and public safety. The amount of cooperation and professionalism that we have in Douglas County allowed this pilot to be successful. We are among the leaders in the state and nation in solving the testing issue.”

The pilot drive through testing clinic saw 17 residents. All were referred by their physician. The pilot allowed DPFN to work out kinks in the process and identify how to conduct a larger drive through COVID-19 testing clinic in the future.

Douglas County Fire District No. 2 wants to assure our community and the greater community we serve that the level of service that DCFD2 provides has not changed due to Coronavirus (COVID-19). DCFD2 Firefighters will continue to respond to all emergencies. However, beginning March 17, the department is limiting access to the fire stations to outside visitors. For business needs, please call the business line, 541-673-5503, prior to visiting the administration building located at 1400 Buckhorn Rd. In an effort to reduce non-essential public interactions, DCFD2 will discontinue fire inspections and unscheduled business inspections. These precautions are being put into place for both the Firefighters and the public we serve. Thank you for your understanding on this matter.

DAILY LOCAL UPDATE COVID-19

Joint Release from Douglas County Board of Commissioners and Douglas Public Health Network

(Douglas County, Ore.)   Your Douglas County Board of Commissioners, Douglas County Public Health Official, Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer, officials from Douglas Public Health Network (DPHN), as well as leaders in our local health community are working hard to cooperatively provide accurate and timely COVID-19 information to Douglas County residents.

As of today, Oregon has reported 32 presumptive positive cases of COVID-19, spanning across 11 counties.  The latest cases were reported in Washington, Clackamas, Linn and Deschutes Counties. There have been no deaths reported in Oregon and there is still only one presumptive case in Douglas County. 

As a part of our continued efforts to provide accurate and timely information to our residents, DPHN hosted a Facebook Live COVID-19 Town Hall – Q&A event on Friday, March 13.  Hundreds of viewers tuned into watch the nearly hour long virtual town hall where local physician, health care leader and Douglas County Public Health Officer, Dr. Bob Dannenhoffer, answered dozens of questions in real time from local residents.  Questions were asked about which groups are most at risk, what can we do to protect ourselves and support others in the community, and what is happening with testing locally.  The town hall event has recorded over 11.2K views and residents can watch a recorded version of the Facebook Live COVID-19 Town Hall by visiting DPHN’s Facebook Page.  The plan is to conduct more of these virtual town halls, as large gatherings are not recommended at this time.

In addition to providing responses to residents Friday night, Dr. Dannenhoffer addressed a number of frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) about COVID-19.  DPHN officials have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions concerning the novel coronavirus. This list is being updated as new information comes available.  To see the full COVID-19 – FAQ list visit DPHN’s website.

Douglas County Health officials, in cooperation with local health organization partners opened a local call center on March 13 for people with questions about COVID-19. The call center, one of the few offered in Oregon, is staffed with volunteer health care professionals who can answer questions from the public. The call center has received over three dozen calls since opening.  We encourage local residents to utilize the call center to answer COVID-19 related questions and concerns.  The call center will run from 8:00 am–7:30 pm, seven days a week until further notice. The call center number is (541) 464-6550.

DPHN officials would like to remind the public, that if you are feeling reasonably well, you might not need to visit a clinic or hospital, which allows providers to focus on patients who most need care. If you are very ill or having trouble breathing, call your healthcare provider and only call 911 if it is an actual emergency. 

We encourage residents to follow the recommended guidelines for the public exposure, which are to maintain a social distance of six feet, maintain good hygiene (especially frequent hand washing), and to stay home if you are sick. Again, we want to reiterate that those that are the most vulnerable to the severe conditions related to COVID-19, such as the elderly and people with a history of health conditions need to take extra precautions to stay healthy and safe. 

Additional resources and guidance are available from the websites of the Douglas Public Health Network, Oregon Health Authority, Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and by calling or logging onto 211Info.

FAQ’s:

Community transmission of COVID-19 has been documented in Douglas County. Accurate information is very important. Douglas Public Health Network officials have compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Douglas County Health officials have established a hotline (541) 464-6550 for people with questions. The call center will be staffed with health care professionals who can answer questions from the public. Call center hours will be 8am-8pm seven days per week until further notice.

If I am sick, what do I do?

If you are feeling reasonably well, you might not need to visit a clinic or hospital, which allows providers to focus on patients who most need care. If you are very ill or having trouble breathing, call your healthcare provider and only call 911 if it is an actual emergency.

How many cases have been confirmed in Douglas County?

We have one Douglas County resident test positive at the Oregon Public Health Lab. That case is being classified as “presumptive” until we receive confirmation from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). We do not anticipate there too be many discrepancies in results, so thus we are treating presumptive cases the same as confirmed cases.

How many people in Douglas County have been tested?

This is a rapidly changing situation. The numbers change daily. The Oregon State Public Health Lab has been processing about 80 tests (~40 people) per day. Douglas County has a small population, but we have had our proportionate share of that testing. Check the OHA website for the latest information.

When will COVID-19 tests be available in Douglas County?

At this time, you can only get a COVID-19 test through your healthcare provider. Tests are currently being processed at the Oregon State Public Health Lab and a growing number of commercial labs, like Quest and LabCorp. There is not yet an established timeline for receiving test results. There are very few outpatient clinics in Douglas County offering testing at this time. Community health partners are working very hard to make testing available to a wider number of people.

If someone has a cough and a fever, and/or difficulty breathing, where can they go to be tested for COVID19?

Most people with cough, fever and mild illness can recover at home and do not need to seek medical care. If you are feeling reasonably well, you might not need to visit a clinic or hospital, which allows providers to focus on patients who most need care. If you are very ill or having trouble breathing, call your healthcare provider and only call 911 if it is an actual emergency.

How can seniors receive services if they are being told to stay home?

Community partners are working together to determine ways to reach our most vulnerable community members.

What are the symptoms of the COVID-19 virus?

The disease progression of COVID-19 ranges from person to person. Symptoms of COVID-19 are non-specific and the disease presentation can range from no symptoms (asymptomatic) to severe pneumonia and death. People with COVID-19 generally develop signs and symptoms on an average of 5-6 days after infection (mean incubation period 5-6 days, range 1-14 days).

According to the World Health Organization, “As of 20 February 2020 and based on 55924 laboratory confirmed cases, typical signs and symptoms include: fever (87.9%), dry cough (67.7%), fatigue (38.1%), sputum production (33.4%), shortness of breath (18.6%), sore throat (13.9%), headache (13.6%), myalgia or arthralgia (14.8%), chills (11.4%), nausea or vomiting (5.0%), nasal congestion (4.8%), diarrhea (3.7%), and hemoptysis (0.9%), and conjunctival congestion (0.8%).”

How does COVID-19 spread?

COVID-19 is spread when people touch or breathe in droplets made when ill people cough, sneeze or talk. This can happen when someone is close to a sick person, within six feet. Rarely, people might catch COVID-19 by touching a surface that a person with the infection coughed or sneezed on, and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes. Coronaviruses can’t survive for long on surfaces, though, so this isn’t common.

What is my risk of getting COVID-19?

Your risk of becoming ill from COVID-19 depends on your exposure to the virus. We recommend taking the steps listed below to decrease your risk of infection.

What is the best advice to lower my chance of contracting COVID-19?

Take everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others.

When you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick, limit close contact and wash your hands often.

Stock up on supplies.

Avoid crowds as much as possible.

Avoid cruise travel and non-essential air travel.

During a COVID-19 outbreak in your community, stay home as much as possible to further reduce your risk of being exposed.

Who is most at risk?

See this page with recommendations for people at risk of serious illness from COVID19:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html

Is there a preferred public information platform? How will the public be kept informed?

Public Health Officer for Douglas County, Dr. Robert Dannenhoffer, will provide updates in daily press releases through FlashAlert, through the Douglas Public Health Network Twitter and Facebook pages, and at douglaspublichealthnetwork.org.

Also, Douglas County Health officials have established a hotline (541) 464-6550 for people with questions. The call center will be staffed with health care professionals who can answer questions from the public. Call center hours will be 8am-8pm seven days per week until further notice.

Why aren’t we releasing details about cases?

With community spread, we need to remember the disease is in all parts of the county and the advice of social distancing, hand washing and the like would not change even if we knew everything about the patient. Since it would not change what we would do, we believe in protecting the patient’s privacy. If there is an exposure in a public setting, we would only release information that is necessary to reduce the threat or protect the public health. Close contacts of confirmed cases would be notified by public health.

Why isn’t more information available about the person who is considered presumptive positive?

We and our collaborative partners have been working hard for weeks preparing for COVID-19. These partners include the Douglas County Emergency Manager, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, local hospitals, healthcare workers, emergency medical services, the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Office of Emergency Management. It was through this collaboration that we were able to quickly identify and isolate this case with very few people exposed. We communicated the positive results to the public within hours of receiving them. We have interviewed the patient and are actively following up with all of their close contacts.

We protect the privacy of all patients. As this was a case of community spread, knowing the exact location and identity of the person would not be helpful and could compromise their confidentiality.

You may have heard of other counties releasing more information about their cases, as an example: the Umatilla case that attended a youth basketball game. With our case, there were no such public events or locations that are at risk. With future cases, if we believe unknown members of the public may have been exposed, we will release that information.

We recommend to stay home if you are sick, wash your hands, avoid the hospital emergency department (except in emergencies) and at your discretion, avoid large gatherings.

If you would like more information on COVID-19, please call 211 or visit the Oregon Health Authority www.oregon.gov/oha or the Center for Disease Control www.cdc.gov.

Should people who can stay home and work from home do so at this time?

Recommendations from the state is that employers who are able to have workers work from home should allow that at this time. The reason for this would be to increase social distancing measures.

If you are immunocompromised, the recommendations are to increase social distancing and to decrease the amount of people that you are in contact with. If you are able to stay at home, the recommendation would be for you to do so.  

I am over the age of 50 or I have health issues, should I go to work?

People at higher risk of getting seriously sick from COVID-19 include older adults, and persons with chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease. To determine your level of risk, you should talk to your medical provider. Depending on your level of risk and your type of work, you may want to discuss the possibility of working from home, working a shift with less people, or other accommodations with your employer. Staying at home will reduce your risk of being exposed. The Centers for Disease Control, Oregon Health Authority and Douglas Public Health Network have not released any large scale work restrictions or quarantine at this time.

What is the mortality rate for young children with COVID-19?

We understand that the parents of small children may be especially concerned about COVID-19. At this time, we have limited data regarding their clinical outcomes. Children seem to have more mild illness, if they show any signs at all. Severe complications have been reported, but they appear to be uncommon. Those under the age of 10 have made up less than 1% of the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in China. Mortality rates depend on a lot of factors including the person’s age, chronic conditions, smoking status and overall health status as well as the level of medical care they receive. The overall case fatality rate for COVID-19 looks to be about 2%, but for individuals age 80 and older that rises to 15%.

Other than hand washing and surface sanitizing, are there other recommended precautions I can take to help prevent my family from contracting COVID-19?

To protect yourself and your family we recommend:

1. Wash your hands often with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds.

2. Cover your mouth with a tissue, sleeve, or elbow (not hands) when you cough or sneeze.

3. Stay home if you are sick.

4. Keep your immune system strong by eating a healthy diet, staying current on your vaccinations including the flu vaccine, getting enough sleep and regular exercise, and by taking care of underlying health conditions.

Should we all be wearing masks?

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well to wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses. You should only wear a mask if a healthcare professional recommends it. A facemask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. Health care workers who are appropriately fit-tested for facemasks will wear them to care for people infected with COVID-19. There is little evidence that masks limit exposure or decrease risk of illness when used in the public setting. They might lead to a false sense of security and make people less likely to take other, more effective measures to decrease risk of infection.

What are Douglas County’s plans for handling COVID-19

Douglas Public Health Network has been busy working with our healthcare coalition to coordinate and prepare for COVID-19. Our partnerships include EMS, Fire, Mercy Medical Center and Lower Umpqua Hospital, the Cow Creek Tribe, the VA, Douglas County commissioners, and local city governments. We are also having weekly calls with smaller clinics and urgent cares, the school districts, home hospice, senior services and others. We are following guidance from the Oregon Health Authority and Centers for Disease Control.

Is it safe to open packages from China or other foreign countries?

The virus does not last long on objects such as letters or packages, according to the World Health Organization.