More than 67% of Oregonians have completed the 2020 Census, making Oregon one of only seven states to match their 2010 Census participation as of last month. As Governor Kate Brown recently noted, we can do better than a decade ago, and spending 10 minutes will improve the lives of Oregonians for the next 10 years.  Be counted — it makes a big difference for Tillamook County funding.  go to 2020census.gov now.

Helping kids get comfortable with masks

There is a lot of uncertainty about school right now. Some kids are in virtual school. Other children attend in person a few hours a week. And some are on campus full time. This uncertainty is especially difficult for young children, and focusing on what you know your kids can expect may help them adjust to our new normal.

One thing is clear: Kids will be wearing masks at school.

Oregon pediatricians at the Oregon Pediatric Society offer advice for parents on helping kids with mask wearing. Here are five tips that may help accustom your toddlers and young children to masking up:

Start early: Introduce masks well ahead of when you think your child will be required to wear them. Consider starting by simply having masks around the home and pointing out their presence. Next steps can be encouraging children to touch, explore, and play with the masks.

Make it familiar: Parents and older siblings can wear masks around the house or put them on stuffed animals and dolls to make them more familiar.

Make it fun: Provide masks with fun patterns or pictures and let your child choose the mask they wear before going out.

Be honest: Even for young children you can say something like “Okay, time to put our mask on to make sure we all stay safe.”

Be consistent: Easy places to start are everywhere outside the home (“Whenever we go inside somewhere that is not our home, we wear a mask”) or every time entering an indoor public space (“Okay, we’re going inside now, time to put on our mask.”).

The complete article is on the Oregon Pediatric Society webpage. They also have a great video on kids masking up:

Back to school: What classrooms will look like

Even though your local school may not be ready for in-person instruction, you may wonder how teachers, students and families will stay safe and healthy once schools do reopen. Here are some things to know:

• Oregon schools are required to take specific steps to limit the spread of COVID-19 at school. These steps include sanitizing, screening, use of face coverings; and limiting interactions between groups of students.
• You can view the specific public health and safety plans your school must follow by reviewing your school district’s Operational Blueprint for Reopening. Links to each district’s blueprint are available on the Oregon Department of Education website.

You can also learn more about the requirements for Oregon schools by reading ODE’s COVID-19 frequently asked questions and Ready Schools, Safe Learners Guidance.

 

Oregon reports 328 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, three new deaths

COVID-19 has claimed three more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 532, the Oregon Health Authority reported Tuesday September 22.

Oregon Health Authority reported 328 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19, bringing the state total to 31,313.

The new cases are in the following counties: Benton (6), Clackamas (31), Clatsop (2), Columbia (3), Coos (3), Crook (1), Curry (1), Deschutes (11), Douglas (10), Hood River (1), Jackson (12), Jefferson (1), Josephine (4), Klamath (2), Lane (32), Lincoln (1), Linn (10), Malheur (14), Marion (38), Multnomah (60), Polk (9), Umatilla (3), Wasco (25), Washington (42) and Yamhill (6).