▶️ More Oregon COVID-19 pandemic rules to end beginning Thursday

The Oregon Health Authority has released a list of changes that will be happening when the national COVID-19 public health emergency ends on Thursday.

The changes include an end to healthcare worker and teacher vaccination requirements and the end of the recommended 5-day isolation period for those who contract COVID. Oregon dropped the requirement for masks at health care facilities last month.

Here are more specifics from OHA:

Vaccination requirements

Effective Thursday (May 11), workers in health care settings will no longer be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 under state rules, OHA announced today. A similar vaccination requirement for teachers and school staff in private and public education settings will lift June 17, the end of the last week of school, to support consistency in student instruction through this school year.

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Exposure, isolation guidance

A five-day period of isolation for those infected with COVID-19 also will no longer be recommended for the general population, including people in K-12 education settings. Oregon public health officials believe widespread population immunity due to vaccination and repeated infections means many COVID-19 infections are now likely asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, and the five-day isolation period is doing little to reduce transmission.

Instead, officials say, the recommendation for the general population will be to stay home until fever free for 24 hours and symptoms are improving; avoid contact with individuals at increased risk for severe disease, including older adults and those with underlying medical conditions; and consider masking for 10 days.

School testing

Diagnostic testing resources for students and staff with symptoms or exposure to COVID-19 in schools will remain available through July 31, 2024. iHealth self-tests will remain available for K-12 schools to request and distribute to their school communities until current stock is depleted. Weekly opt-in “screening” testing for K-12 students and staff without COVID-19 symptoms will end July 31 as funding for the effort wraps up.

The endings of the vaccination, isolation and some testing measures are among a spate of impending changes over the coming weeks as Oregon, and the nation, continue the long, careful transition out of the pandemic. A number of “flexibilities” put in place during the pandemic will remain in effect.

The following are among the COVID-era activities and requirements that will continue after May 11:

    • An extension of a 90-day “reasonable opportunity period” for non-citizens to verify citizenship or immigration status to 180 days so they can enroll in Oregon Health Plan (OHP).
    • A requirement that OHP providers, including coordinated care organizations, continue to cover COVID-19 vaccinations and treatment without cost sharing, and that commercial health insurers cover vaccinations without cost sharing. In Oregon, vaccinations are covered no matter where someone gets a shot. Oregonians should contact their health care provider about where they can get vaccinated.
    • A requirement that Oregon health care providers be reimbursed for language interpreter services (spoken or signed) provided during an office visit.
    • A requirement that OHP providers offer access to telehealth services.
    • In addition, state officials are currently implementing previously announced changes in access to Medicaid coverage and other human services programs administered by the state and federal governments.

The following are among many other changes taking effect May 11:

COVID-19 reporting

    • A change in how OHA monitors COVID-19. Epidemiologists will transition to a more sustainable and effective model that focuses on measures that indicate transmission, and continue monitoring for severe outcomes, including hospitalizations and death. Case data, which is based on individual laboratory test reporting and is heavily biased, will be retired. The changes align with CDC recommendations and mirror how influenza is monitored.
    • A change in how OHA reports COVID-19 data. Epidemiologists will streamline data reporting to a smaller number of dashboards updated weekly. Data visualizations will include graphs showing statewide percent positivity, wastewater levels and trends, distribution of variants, hospitalization rates and capacity, death counts, emergency department visit and vaccination trends. Dashboards with case counts and county data will be archived.

Health coverage, supports

    • The end of extended health coverage, services and supports for people with disabilities and older adults, and extra food benefits that were provided during federal emergency. Continuous coverage for Medicaid also is ending. Oregon began a “redetermination” process April 1 to help people renew their OHP membership and other Medicaid benefits, and stay on the plan, and is encouraging members to keep mailing addresses, phone numbers and email addresses current to ensure they receive information about their benefits in the coming months. More information about the renewals process and options for updating contact information is at oregon.gov/oha/phe. Those with questions can reach out to the ONE Customer Service Center at 800-699-9075 (TTY 711) from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

▶️ Central Oregon wrestling prodigy doesn’t give up a single point the entire season

A local middle school wrestler, Leif Larwin, is achieving things most people can only dream about.

COVID shut down his 6th grade season. But since then, he not only hasn’t lost a match, but during his 8th grade season, he didn’t even give up a single point in 29 matches.

Larwin wrestles at Pilot Butte Middle School and comes from a wrestling family.

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His bother Eric, just recently broke his own record, for most falls/pins in a single Bend Senior High season and father, coach of the Lava Bears for 15 years.

To hear more about Leif and his success from coaches, watch below:

President Biden to end COVID-19 emergency declarations on May 11

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden informed Congress on Monday that he will end the twin national emergencies for addressing COVID-19 on May 11, as most of the world has returned closer to normalcy nearly three years after they were first declared.

The move to end the national emergency and public health emergency declarations would formally restructure the federal coronavirus response to treat the virus as an endemic threat to public health that can be managed through agencies’ normal authorities.

RELATED: US moves closer to making COVID vaccine an annual booster

It comes as lawmakers have already ended elements of the emergencies that kept millions of Americans insured during the pandemic. Combined with the drawdown of most federal COVID-19 relief money, it would also shift the development of vaccines and treatments away from the direct management of the federal government.

Biden’s announcement comes in a statement opposing resolutions being brought to the floor this week by House Republicans to bring the emergency to an immediate end. House Republicans are also gearing up to launch investigations on the federal government’s response to COVID-19.

Then-President Donald Trump first declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency on March 13, 2020. The emergencies have been repeatedly extended by Biden since he took office in January 2021, and are set to expire in the coming months. The White House said Biden plans to extend them both briefly to end on May 11.

“An abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system — for states, for hospitals and doctors’ offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans,” the Office of Management and Budget wrote in a Statement of Administration Policy.

Congress has already blunted the reach of the public health emergency that had the most direct impact on Americans, as political calls to end the declaration intensified. Lawmakers have refused for months to fulfill the Biden administration’s request for billions more dollars to extend free COVID vaccines and testing. And the $1.7 trillion spending package passed last year and signed into law by Biden put an end to a rule that barred states from kicking people off Medicaid, a move that is expected to see millions of people lose their coverage after April 1.

The costs of COVID-19 vaccines are also expected to skyrocket once the government stops buying them, with Pfizer saying it will charge as much as $130 per dose. Only 15% of Americans have received the recommended, updated booster that has been offered since last fall.

Once the emergency expires, people with private insurance will have some out-of-pocket costs for vaccines, tests and treatment, while the uninsured will have to pay for those expenses in their entirety.

Legislators did extend telehealth flexibilities that were introduced as COVID-19 hit, leading health care systems around the country to regularly deliver care by smartphone or computer.

The Biden administration had previously considered ending the emergency last year, but held off amid concerns about a potential “winter surge” in cases and to provide adequate time for providers, insurers and patients to prepare for its end.

A senior administration official said the three months until the expiration would mark a transition period where the administration will “begin the process of a smooth operational wind-down of the flexibilities enabled by the COVID-19 emergency declarations.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the announcement before it had been released.

More than 1.1 million people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 since 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including about 3,700 last week.

Case counts have trended downward after a slight bump over the winter holidays, and are significantly below levels seen over the last two winters — though the number of tests performed for the virus and reported to public health officials has sharply decreased.

Moments before the White House’s announcement, Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., accused the president of unnecessarily extending the public health emergency to take action on issues like forgiving some federal student loan debts.

“The country has largely returned to normal,” Cole said Monday, introducing a Republican-backed bill calling for an end to the health emergency. “Everyday Americans have returned to work and to school with no restrictions on their activities. It is time that the government acknowledges this reality: the pandemic is over.”

US moves closer to making COVID vaccine an annual booster

The U.S. is poised to make COVID-19 vaccinations more like a yearly flu shot, a major shift in strategy despite a long list of questions about how to best protect against a still rapidly mutating virus.

The Food and Drug Administration asked its scientific advisers Thursday to help lay the groundwork for switching to once-a-year boosters for most Americans — and how and when to periodically update the shots’ recipe.

“This is a consequential meeting to determine if we’ve reached the point in the pandemic that allows for simplifying the use of current COVID-19 vaccines,” said FDA’s Dr. David Kaslow.

The advisory panel mostly agreed with the FDA’s approach.

COVID-19 vaccines have saved millions of lives and booster doses continue to help the most vulnerable even as more contagious variants have popped up. But protection does wane and the shots don’t fend off milder infections for long.

And people are tired of getting vaccinated. While more than 80% of the U.S. population has had at least one COVID-19 shot, only 16% of those eligible for the latest boosters — so-called bivalent doses updated to better match more recent virus strains — have gotten one.

That makes for tough decisions on how to move forward: Who really needs another shot, how often and what kind?

“We’re still protected against severe disease, thank goodness,” even after the latest mutated omicron strains cropped up, noted FDA adviser Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The first step: The FDA advisory panel voted unanimously that people should get the same vaccine formula whether they’re receiving their initial vaccinations or a booster. Today, Americans get one formula based on the original coronavirus strain that emerged in 2020 for their first two or three doses — and their latest booster is a combination shot made by Pfizer or Moderna that adds omicron protection.

The FDA would have to decide how to phase in that change.

But “this isn’t only a convenience thing” to ease confusion about different kinds of shots, said Dr. Archana Chatterjee, dean of Chicago Medical School. Since the original coronavirus strain has disappeared, “moving towards the strains that are circulating is very important.”

Who needs another shot and when sparked more debate.

Looking ahead, the FDA said most Americans should do fine if they get a once-a-year booster targeted to the newest variants in the fall. The agency asked if some people might need two doses — adults with weakened immune systems and very young children who’ve never been previously vaccinated. That’s similar to how youngsters get their first-ever flu vaccination.

But more data is needed to show exactly who might need two yearly doses — such as a careful count of who still gets hospitalized with COVID-19 despite being up-to-date with today’s vaccinations, Offit said.

“Only then can we really best make the decision about who gets vaccinated with what and when,” he said.

Nor is it clear that younger, healthier people would need a COVID-19 booster every year.

“It’s hard to say it’s going to be annual at this point,” said Harvard’s Dr. Eric Rubin.

Fall might not even be the best time to boost, something that would depend on when infections start rising and how long a booster’s protection might last, said FDA adviser Dr. Arthur Reingold of the University of California, Berkeley.

Unlike flu which in the U.S. circulates mostly during late fall and winter, COVID-19 waves have occurred year-round.

As for the recipe, the FDA’s plan is to call its advisory panel for another meeting in late May or early June to decide if the vaccine recipe needs tweaking — including which virus strain to target and whether it should be a single-strain or multi-strain shot. Pfizer and Moderna said that would give enough time to produce needed doses by fall while a third manufacturer, Novavax, urged an earlier start to any recipe change.

Also Thursday, U.S. officials updated how they’re tracking that the newest COVID-19 boosters are safe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spotted a possible warning signal that seniors getting Pfizer’s updated booster might have a slightly higher risk of stroke. But FDA safety expert Richard Forshee said data from Medicare and multiple other health systems — including in other countries — found no sign of trouble, leading the government to conclude it’s unlikely the red flag was real.

China’s president faces threat from public anger over ‘zero COVID’

SHANGHAI (AP) — Barely a month after granting himself a third five-year term as China’s leader, Xi Jinping is facing a wave of public anger over his “zero COVID” policy.

Demonstrators poured into the streets over the weekend in cities including Shanghai and Beijing, in protests unprecedented since the 1989 student-led pro-democracy movement centered on Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

Most protesters focused their anger on restrictions that confine families to their homes for months and have been criticized as neither scientific or effective. But some also shouted for Xi and the Communist Party that has ruled China for 73 years to give up power.

Pfizer: COVID vaccine will cost $110-$130 per dose

Pfizer will charge $110 to $130 for a dose of its COVID-19 vaccine once the U.S. government stops buying the shots. But the drugmaker says it expects many people will continue receiving doses for free.

Pfizer executives say the commercial pricing for adult doses could start early next year, depending on when the U.S. government phases out its program.

The drugmaker said it expects that people covered by private insurance or public programs like Medicare will pay nothing.

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RELATED: US clears updated COVID boosters for kids as young as 5

A spokesman said the company also has an income-based assistance program that helps those without coverage.

The Associated Press reports the vaccine brought in $36.78 billion in revenue last year for Pfizer and was the drugmaker’s top-selling product. Analysts predict that it will rack up another $32 billion this year, but also expect sales to fall rapidly after that.

 

Fall COVID-19 surge could happen in Oregon, health officials warn

SEATTLE (AP) — Health officials in Washington and Oregon said Thursday that a fall and winter COVID surge is likely for the Pacific Northwest after months of relatively low case levels.

The Seattle Times reports King County, Wash., Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin said Thursday that virus trends in Europe show a concerning picture of what the U.S. could see in the next month or so.

In the past, he says major surges in Europe have been a good predictor of what the U.S. can expect.

Duchin and Oregon health officials on Thursday urged residents to get the updated COVID booster shot as soon as possible.

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US clears updated COVID boosters for kids as young as 5

Kids as young as 5 can soon get updated COVID-19 booster shots.

The tweaked boosters rolled out last month for Americans 12 and older — shots designed to target the currently spreading omicron variants.

On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized kid-size versions for 5- to 11-year-olds. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also signed off.

Officials hope to expand protection against an expected winter surge.

The updated shots contain half the recipe that targeted the original coronavirus strain and half protection against the dominant BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions.

RELATED: COCC holding free drive-thru flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinic Wednesday

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COCC holding free drive-thru flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinic Wednesday

Central Oregon Community College is hosting a free drive-thru flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Wednesday.

The clinic, which runs from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., will be held in the Barber Library parking lot on the COCC campus. It’s in conjunction with Deschutes County.

People can drive, bike or walk through the clinic. All community members can take part. But those wanting the COVID-19 booster are asked to bring a current vaccination card.

Vaccines that will be available include:

  • Regular strength flu vaccine for ages six months and older (not the high-dose version)
  • Bivalent COVID-19 booster Pfizer vaccine
  • Primary COVID-19 vaccine series of Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax for ages five and older.

RELATED: It’s flu vaccine time and seniors need revved-up shots

RELATED: Deschutes County hosting flu vaccine clinics for uninsured, others in October

COCC holding free drive-thru flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinic

Central Oregon Community College is hosting a free drive-thru flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Wednesday, Oct. 12.

The clinic, which runs from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., will be held in the Barber Library parking lot on the COCC campus. It’s in conjunction with Deschutes County.

People can drive, bike or walk through the clinic. All community members can take part. But those wanting the COVID-19 booster are asked to bring a current vaccination card.

Vaccines that will be available include:

  • Regular strength flu vaccine for ages six months and older (not the high-dose version)
  • Bivalent COVID-19 booster Pfizer vaccine
  • Primary COVID-19 vaccine series of Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax for ages five and older.

RELATED: It’s flu vaccine time and seniors need revved-up shots

RELATED: Deschutes County hosting flu vaccine clinics for uninsured, others in October