PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Days after the Oregon Health Authority submitted its draft plan to the federal government for distributing a COVID-19 vaccine once one is approved and available, the agency reported another 266 new confirmed/presumptive cases and the deaths of 8 more people and modified their guidance on face coverings.
OHA officials revised its face-covering guidance to require people wear face coverings “in all private and public workplaces including classrooms, offices, meeting rooms, and workspaces, unless someone is alone in an office or in a private workspace.”
Face coverings are also now required in indoor and outdoor markets, street fairs, private career schools, and public and private colleges and universities.
OHA also said face coverings are better than face shields, except for those instances when, for instance, someone who is deaf or hearing impaired needs to read lips.
And the standard guidance remains: Stay 6 feet or more away, avoid large gatherings, limit social gatherings and wash your hands frequently.
The daily report
The deaths of the 8 people brought the cumulative total since the pandemic began in Oregon to 627. Three people lived in Multnomah County, 3 in Lane County and the others in Crook and Umatilla counties. They ranged in age from 61 to 91, officials said, and all had underlying conditions.
The new cases were recorded in 17 of Oregon’s 36 counties. Multnomah had the most cases, 68, with Lane County — which was put on the state’s Watch List last week — recording 40.
The full list of counties with new cases on Monday is: Clackamas (24), Coos (8), Crook (2), Deschutes (15), Douglas (1), Jackson (18), Josephine (1), Lane (40), Linn (2), Malheur (5), Marion (39), Multnomah (68), Polk (3), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (9), Washington (25), and Yamhill (5).
There have now been 39,794 case in Oregon since the pandemic erupted.
The draft vaccine plan
OHA officials submitted the draft vaccine plan on October 16, responding to a CDC request of all 50 states on how each state will manage a vaccine’s distribution.
Read: COVID-19 Vaccination Plan – Oregon
“OHA’s plan is intended to understand Oregon’s existing systems and structures for vaccine delivery. The next steps are to understand how those systems and structures need to be rebuilt to meet the needs of disproportionately impacted communities,” officials said.