Coronavirus Update 3/17/20
Coronavirus Update
3/17/20 7 pm
Lisa Reynolds MD
This is Lisa Reynolds, MD. Portland Pediatrician on the frontlines of the coronavirus epidemic. Mom and daughter. Candidate for Oregon HD36.
Factual update Coronavirus
WORLDWIDE: 193K confirmed cases, 142 countries, 8K deaths.
US: 5.6K confirmed cases, 50 states, 100 deaths
OREGON: 66 confirmed cases (19 new ones; 14/36 counties), 1 death (2 deaths in Clark county: a married couple in their 80’s).
New policies - government
Oregon K-12 schools closed until April 28 (total of 6.5 weeks) - convert to distance learning.
Bars and restaurants closed - only take out/delivery allowed for 4 weeks
Ban all events >25 people
No visitors to nursing homes/adult foster care homes (VA in Lebanon has 14 cases)
Urge as many folks as possible to work from home.
Hospital systems are coordinating together. Providence, Kaiser, Legacy and OHSU have all postponed indefinitely elective procedures. (this list is incomplete)
Multnomah County/City Portland: moratorium on evictions for failure to pay rent if renter is affected by coronavirus (sick, taking care of sick, lost job/wages, home with school kids); Also the county is opening up new shelter beds
Goals of State policies
TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS - ie to flatten the curve - through mandated social distancing.
Do Your Part
Stay home. Even if you’re healthy. Even if you’re young. Monitor your kids and young adult children. They should be home too.
Continue with: Frequent hand washing/hand sanitizing. Stay 6 feet away from others.
Resources
PPS is still providing meals for families (see comments)
Oregon Food Bank food finder (see comments).
We expect there to be state and federal resources for families suffering economic crises from this pandemic.
What I’m doing
My clinic is limiting who we are bringing into the clinic - no “elective” office visits. We are prioritizing check ups that include vaccines (especially those less than 2 years old) and scheduling them in the morning. We are reserving sick visits for the afternoon and trying to limit those. We still do not have the capability to test for COVID19.
Starting to think about my campaign again.
Scrambling to get my son, Hank, home from Chicago now that Midway Airport has shut down due to COV19. (I got him on a Wed flight from OHare).
Trying not to think about my personal risk of getting sick. Eating vegetables. Exercising. Trying to sleep
Talking on the phone way more than I generally do. Missing my friends but so happy to have Jack here.