PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon should adopt a ‘shelter in place’ strategy in an effort to curb the spread of novel coronavirus, COVID-19, the president of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (OAHHS) said Thursday.
OAHHS president and CEO Becky Hultberg said hospitals and health systems across the state are preparing for a surge in COVID-19 patients.
“It is critical that we have the capacity to care for those patients and others who present at our facilities,” Hultberg said. “Mortality is higher when the health system gets overwhelmed. We must act now to save lives.
In a statement sent out Thursday, Hultberg recommended Governor Kate Brown take the ‘strongest action possible” for social distancing in Oregon, including limiting retail commerce, stopping unnecessary travel, and adopting shelter in place strategies similar to those seen in cities like San Francisco.
In a call on Thursday morning, Gov. Brown said she will not move forward with a shelter-in-place mandate at this time.
Gov. Brown: 'We are not moving forward with shelter-in-place at this time'
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler is considering a shelter-in-place policy that would require all Rose City residents to stay in their homes, KATU’s news partners at Willamette Week reported Wednesday.
The OAHHS' recommendation comes as the Oregon Health Authority announced 13 more coronavirus cases, bringing the state's total to 88.
You can read Hultberg's full statement below:
"The coronavirus is dangerous because although we can't see it, the virus is in our community and it is lethal. Hospitals and health systems are preparing for a surge in COVID-19 patients and it is critical that we have the capacity to care for those patients and others who present at our facilities. Mortality is higher when the health system gets overwhelmed. We must act now to save lives.
"Absent widespread testing and the ability to isolate patients, the public health tool we must use to avoid a rising patient surge is social distancing. Yesterday, our board recommended that the Governor take the strongest possible action when it comes to social distancing measures now. We support action on the state or local level to further limit retail commerce, unnecessary travel, and adopt ‘shelter in place‘ strategies.”