About COVID-19

Social distancing refers to measures taken to increase physical space between people to slow the spread of the virus. When you can’t maintain more than 6 feet between people, make sure you use other protective measures including wearing a mask, avoiding touching your face and washing your hands often.

Close contact as defined by the CDC is being within approximately 6 feet of a person with COVID-19 for a 15 minutes or more while they are infectious. It also means having direct contact with secretions from a person with COVID-19 (for example, being coughed or sneezed on).

Close contact with an infected person poses the highest risk of disease spread. That includes:

• Living in the same household as a sick person with COVID-19
• Caring for a sick person with COVID-19
• Being within 6 feet of a sick person with COVID-19 for a prolonged period of time
• Being in direct contact with secretions from a sick person with COVID-19 (for example, being coughed on, kissing or sharing utensils)

People can be exposed to COVID-19 without knowing it. That is why it’s important to take precautions whenever you are around people outside your household.

If you get sick with cold-like symptoms, fever, cough or shortness of breath (even if your symptoms are very mild), you may have COVID-19. You should stay home and away from other people and consider getting tested. If you have any of the following conditions that may increase your risk for a serious infection (age 60 years or older, pregnancy or medical conditions), tell your healthcare provider you were exposed and describe your symptoms. They may want to monitor your health more closely or test you for COVID-19.

If you do not have a high-risk condition but want medical advice, call your healthcare provider and tell them you were exposed to someone with COVID-19 and describe your symptoms. Your healthcare provider can help you decide if you need to be evaluated in person. If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, notify them that you may have been exposed to COVID-19. If possible, put on a mask.

You should stay home away from others and monitor your health. Symptoms of COVID-19 can be similar to the common cold with sore throat and cough. Fever is not always present. Shortness of breath can mean more serious illness. Monitor your symptoms for 14 days after the last day you were in close contact with the sick person with COVID-19, and consider getting tested at 5–7 days after your last exposure or when you develop symptoms.

If someone in your household becomes sick with cold-like symptoms, cough or fever, it is possible they have COVID-19. They should contact their healthcare provider for medical advice, especially if they are over the age of 60, pregnant, or have chronic medical conditions. They may want to get a COVID-19 test. If they can stay home to recover, they should follow these precautions:

• Wear a mask
  You should wear a mask when you are around other people and before entering a healthcare provider’s office. If you are unable to wear a mask because of medical reasons, then people who live with you should not be in the same room with you and they should wear a mask when near you.
• Stay home except to get medical care
  • Don't go to work or into public areas.
  • Avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing or taxis.
  • If you have a medical appointment, call your healthcare provider and tell them you may have COVID-19. This will help the provider’s office take steps to prevent exposure of other people.
• Separate yourself from other people and animals in your home
  • You should stay in your own room and away from other people in your home as much as possible. Use a separate bathroom, if available. Increase airflow in shared spaces like the kitchen or bathroom by opening windows. If you need help, have just one person who is healthy and masked provide care.
  • You should avoid contact with pets and other animals while sick. When possible, have another member of your household care for your animals. If you must care for your pet, wash your hands before and after you interact with them and wear a mask.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes
  Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw used tissues in a lined trash can and immediately wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based sanitizer.
• Monitor your symptoms
  • Call your healthcare provider if your symptoms worsen or you experience difficulty breathing. Tell your healthcare provider that you may have COVID-19. If you need to be seen in person, follow their instructions on how to enter a facility without exposing others and wear a mask.
  • If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, notify them that you may have COVID-19. If possible, put on a mask before emergency medical services arrive.

We are not permitted to release any information about specific COVID-19 case locations because of patient privacy laws. The risk of COVID-19 is widespread across the community, so the best way you can stay safe is to follow the public health guidelines.

If you think you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and experience symptoms, you should stay home and monitor yourself for symptoms. Guidelines for when it is safe to leave home will differ depending on if you need to quarantine or isolate.

Quarantine is intended to keep someone who may have been infected away from other people. The CDC provides specific quarantine guidelines.

Isolation is meant to keep those with a known infection away from other people, including those in their household. The CDC provides specific isolation guidelines.

Effective 8/13/21, the State of Oregon requires masks to be worn by all adults and children 5 and older in indoor public settings. 

If you are traveling outside of Oregon, the CDC recommends wearing masks, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

Masks should include two or more washable, breathable layers.
Masks are not recommended for:

• Children under age 2
• Anyone who has trouble breathing
• Anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance