Klamath County reports 75 new cases of COVID-19, first vaccines reach Klamath County this week
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KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Klamath County Public Health (KCPH) officials report 75 new cases of COVID-19. The local case count is 1,662. Of these cases, 52 were in the statewide database on Saturday. Last week’s count is 254. The reporting week runs from Sunday through Saturday. This week’s count is 23.
COVID-19 vaccine has reached Oregon and is first being distributed to hospital and Tribal health systems. KCPH has created a webpage at http://www.klamathcounty.org/1117/COVID-19-vaccine to provide information as it becomes available. Individuals may also send an email to KCPH@klamathcounty.org to subscribe to email vaccine updates.
Like most of the state, Klamath County is experiencing a surge in cases. A revised approach to contact investigations and close contact follow up is part of a statewide plan developed in response to the statewide growth in cases.
The approach incorporates a priority structure to ensure those at highest risk receive contact from KCPH first. More than half of the counties in Oregon have moved to this surge protocol, as local and state resources reach capacity in this critical pandemic response.
Webpages have been created for those who have tested positive and their close contacts. Links can be found at the top of the http://publichealth.klamathcounty.org/coronavirus page. Close contacts may not be contacted by KCPH.
Those who have tested positive should let their close contacts know of their exposure. A close contact is someone who has been within six feet of a positive individual for 15 or more cumulative minutes, with or without a mask.
Klamath County totals
To protect yourself:
Keep your distance by maintaining six feet of social or physical distancing between yourself and others.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, utilizing hand sanitizer when washing facilities are not available.
Sanitize surfaces that are often touched.
Avoid gatherings of any size where social or physical distancing is not possible.
To protect others around you:
Cover coughs and sneezes.
Stay home when sick.
Wear a clean mask in public spaces, including outdoors when six feet of social distance cannot be maintained.
First vaccine reaches Klamath County this week
Public Health expects its first distribution in February
Oregon quantities already reduced
Hospitals, Tribal Health systems and skilled nursing facilities first agencies for disbursement.
This week the first COVID-19 vaccine will arrive in Klamath County. Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is providing vaccine to Klamath Tribal Health & Family Services and Sky Lakes Medical Center.
Klamath County Public Health is working to obtain vaccine to serve Emergency Medical Services and other frontline health workers. OHA has indicated KCPH should not expect vaccine availability before February. Oregon Health Authority’s plan to reach individuals in the Phase 1a distribution can be found at https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/DHSForms/Served/le3527.pdf.
OHA expects that between 300,000 and 400,000 individuals will have access to COVID-19 vaccination during Phase 1a. Work is in progress to further estimate the numbers of people within each of the Phase 1a groups.
Last week, Oregon received 35,100 doses of Pfizer vaccine. Among that allotment was 10,725 doses sent by the federal government to Walgreens and CVS pharmacies for vaccinations at Skilled Nursing Facilities, beginning this week.
According to the Oregon Health Authority’s vaccine database, 16 hospitals across Oregon received a total of 19,500 vaccine doses last week:
A total of 685 health care workers received their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of Thursday, December 17, 2020. When vaccine is more readily available, it is projected 10,000 vaccinations will occur each day in Oregon.
More Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine deliveries are scheduled the weeks of Dec. 20 and Dec. 27, when allocations of 25,350 and 48,750, respectively, are expected to arrive in Oregon.
The allocation of 25,350 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech now scheduled to arrive in Oregon this week is a reduction from the original amount of 40,950 Oregon was previously scheduled to have allocated during the week. Federal officials notified the state about the change last Wednesday.
Oregon also expects to receive Moderna COVID-19 vaccines this week. An allocation of 72,100 doses is expected this week and 31,700 next week. These doses would be distributed to hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.
Like every other state, Oregon receives a per capita allocation of vaccine doses from the federal government. While vaccine doses are distributed to states by the federal government each week based on a standard formula (i.e., states do not apply for vaccines nor can states request additional quantities), the actual number of doses states receive may change depending on many factors, including federal decisions or changes in manufacturer’s supplies.