The increase in activity as the county entered phase one has led to an increase in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19. We now have confirmed outbreaks (two or more cases) associated with three different congregate work facilities in Hood River County. We also have individuals connected to these outbreaks that have tested positive and work at other local businesses. Many individuals who live and work with these positive cases and do not currently have symptoms are considered close contacts and should be self monitoring for symptoms and staying quarantined for fourteen days after their last exposure to the positive case. If you believe that you are a close contact to a positive case and have not been contacted by a public health employee please call your local Public Health Department. If you live in Wasco, Sherman, or Gilliam counties you would call North Central Public Health District 541-464-6550. Klickitat County residents should call 509-773-4565. Skamania County residents please call 509-427-3850. Hood River County residents can call 541-386-1115.
Contact investigators here at HRCPHD have noted that several cases were involved in activities outside of work where it is possible they contracted the virus. These were group activities such as BBQ’s, and other parties where numbers of people congregate. Everyone should be aware that these types of gatherings are discouraged. We will continue to see an increase in positive cases in the coming weeks. Those who have underlying health concerns should continue to be extremely cautious about where they are going and who they are in contact with. If you are in public and cannot maintain a 6 foot physical distance from someone who is not a member of your own household you should be wearing a mask!
Businesses:
Who needs a face mask?
- Require employees, contractors and volunteers to wear a mask, face shield, or face covering, unless an accommodation for people with disabilities or other exemption applies.
- Provide masks, face shields, or face coverings for employees.
- If it is a transit agency, require riders to wear face coverings and provide one for a rider that does not have one, and develop policies and procedures as described below.
- If customers or visitors will be required to wear a face covering, develop a policy and post clear signs about any such requirements.
- Provide for accommodations and exemptions from the mask or face covering requirement where applicable.
Public:
- When riding public transit, an individual must wear a face covering unless the individual: Is less than two years of age. Has a medical condition that makes it hard to breathe when wearing a face covering. Has a disability that prevents the individual from wearing a face covering.
- It is recommended that individuals, including children between 2 and 12 years of age, wear a face covering at all times in settings like grocery stores or pharmacies, where it is likely that physical distancing of at least six feet from other individuals outside their family unit cannot be maintained, and vulnerable people must go.
- Because children between the ages of 2 and 12 years of age can have challenges wearing a face covering properly, coverings should only be worn with the assistance and close supervision of an adult. Face coverings should never be worn by children when sleeping.
Absolute lies about the masks.
You just can’t get over that you’ve been utterly wrong and have only this one last thing to hang on to. Your obsession with the masks is so overtly psychotic that you’re literally screaming it repeatedly all day, every day. Can you not see how insane you look at this point?
FOR THE RECORD:
Until Trump said he’d not be wearing one, masks were, for the entire existence of the CDC and even before, ONLY FOR THE SICK. Last year, the year before, and on into history, the CDC and everyone else has clearly stated on hundreds and hundreds of occasions, that masks have NO EVIDENCE of being effective at protection from infection.
You only push the mask to defy Trump, and that very act alone utterly disqualifies you from ever being in a position to make a decision for any other person. This writer personally despises Trump. His decision to wear a mask or not means nothing to me, I only go by decades upon decades of proven medical facts.
However, if Hood River or any other agency goes against CDC guidelines, and someone gets sick as a result, they are legally and financially liable.
They are saying to wear masks only because it protects them from being sued or jailed. NOT because the masks have any use whatsoever.
Of course, the tests being badly inaccurate means we have no idea if these people are actually infected. And were any other tests done, say, for influenza, or anything else? Zika? The bird and swine flu that are also infecting the world right now?
Nope, you are driving blind and yet again, with no information and only fear to guide you, you’re about to turn us right back toward the cliff we were about to go over.
And, you are openly advocating the protests and riots yet are also screaming at us to avoid gatherings? Nothing you say can be trusted.
Cease and desist dispensing any and all information or advice, we can take care of ourselves and have no use for terrified public servants whose sole priority is clearly to just cover their behinds and leave us to fend for ourselves.
I can’t tell if your are trolling or are actually just an idiot.
Since nurses and doctors have been wearing masks for years to protect themselves and to protect immunologically compromised patients I would have to say the anti mask Trumpsters are wrong. What’s the big deal about washing your hands and wearing a mask when in crowded conditions for a year or so. You might save a life.
Never have I been more gobsmacked by the selfishness of so many people. Not usually a post kind of guy…but geez. Wear a mask you putz. You could save a life – possibly someone that has to listen to your misinformation.
Is there any way to flag and remove the first post since it clearly poses a health hazard if anyone takes this nerd seriously? Twitter did it…
Yes please wear a mask,our DR told us if my partner gets the virus,he would most likely have heart attack and die,being he has a heart valve, I am at risk but not as much,but a stay in the ICU would wipe me out financially, my not being able to pay the 20% deductible, death or financial ruin? I THINK NOT ILL WEAR THE MASK JUST IN CASE..who cares what Trump thinks,he dosnt care if we live or die,but I sure do
Another ANTI FREE SPEECH LOSER LIBERAL.
Most of us know its all fake. Its not legal to go to homes and cintract trace. They must have a court order. There has never been a time when healthy people were quarentine from a virus so harmless. Read the Oregon Health Authority death statistics for the last three years. By county be month. Theres no pandemic.