Newsletter: Friday, June 26
Reopening and Staying Safe
Counties in Oregon continue to reopen at different paces. Community leaders put our health and safety as their highest priority. Infection rates and population density are huge factors that guide reopening decisions per county. Last week, the Governor announced that Multnomah has moved into Phase 1. Marion, Polk and Hood River Counties have been approved to move into Phase 2 (learn more about what the phases mean here). It is important to stay up-to-date with the current restrictions recommended in your county for each phase.
Unfortunately, coronavirus infections continue to rise. Based on Oregon Health Authority’s daily reports, Oregon recorded its largest daily increase in COVID-19 cases on June 21st. Coronavirus continues to spread and to be a serious health risk, especially to vulnerable populations. No matter which county you live in, it is important to follow the CDC guidelines to prevent getting sick.
It is still recommended to stay home as much as possible.
A new mandatory rule was put in place on June 24th to require face coverings to be used in indoor, public spaces in Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Hood River, Marion, Polk and Lincoln counties. As populated counties reopen, this will help to keep each other safe in crowded places like grocery stores.
If you are unable to wear a mask there are alternative ways to stay safe, including physical distancing and limiting activities in public spaces. If this is the case for you, talk to a support person about your options.
““As we learn more about COVID-19, we’re refining our strategies to prevent its spread. This means increased testing, strictly enforcing health and safety standards, a new face covering requirement, and calling on the public to remain cautious.””
If You Plan to Leave Your Home
Stay focused on your health and safety.
This coronavirus symptom checker is a useful tool to bookmark and use daily to remember to check in with how you’re feeling.
The CDC has developed a helpful list of questions to ask ourselves every time we go out (see below). These can help us think through our actions prior to leaving our home. Ultimately, we want to gather information about our activity and our community to determine if our trip away from home is a good idea, necessary and as safe as possible.
It might be a good idea to print these questions, or write them out, to keep them accessible.
The list of questions below are reminders to stay updated with local policies and CDC recommendations. They also examine how vulnerable you, or someone you live with, are to getting sick.
Each activity or trip outside of your home might be different. These are good questions to ask yourself every time you do something new.
Once you’ve answered these questions, you can use the safety scale below as a guide to determine risk. Public health experts rated the risk levels of spreading coronavirus through some common activities. Some activities are more dangerous than others. The lowest risk activities are rated as “1” and highest risk are “9”. Staying home is the activity with the lowest risk.
The CDC advises, “In general, the more closely you interact with others and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread.”
A Note for Customers: Safety When Working with Providers
If you start working with your provider again, be sure to take the steps to protect yourself and your provider from the coronavirus.
Have a conversation with your provider about what steps you will take together.
Some precautions include:
Wear a face covering. Contact your PA if you need face coverings.
Ask your provider to wear a face covering.
Wash your hands often.
Ask your provider to wash their hands as soon as they come into your home.
Ask your provider to continue to wash their hands often, especially if they eat or do an activity that involves touching their face.
Try to keep a safe distance from each other. If you must travel in a car together it’s recommended to sit in the back seat, as far away from the driver as possible, and to roll down windows for air flow.
When possible, do outdoor activities.
If you or your provider feel sick, let each other know. The CDC recommends staying away from others if you show symptoms of COVID-19.
Make a plan for emergencies.
Your health and safety is important. Your provider’s health and safety is important.
Talk to your PA if you need help with setting up a safety plan.
Juneteenth
As you might know, last Friday was Juneteenth. The day commemorates freedom of African Americans in the US.
You might have seen our Facebook post recognizing this holiday in which we posted a link to the holiday’s general history. However, many of us didn’t grow up learning about Juneteenth in school. Community Pathways recognizes this as an important and unrecognized holiday. We would like to take this opportunity to provide more resources in order to expand on the education and history of the holiday.
“The History and Meaning of Juneteenth” the Daily podcast episode
Juneteenth: The Growth of an African American Holiday
How did we celebrate this year? How will we celebrate Juneteenth in the upcoming years?
Across the nation, people have been advocating to further educate and acknowledge this holiday. “There needs to be a reckoning, an effort to unify. One thing about national holidays, they help educate people about what the story is… Juneteenth legislation is a call for freedom, but it also reinforces the history of African Americans.” – Sheila Jackson Lee, U.S. Representative for Texas’s 18th congressional district. Read the full article here.
Black history IS American history. We have a lot of work to do as a nation to learn from racial inequalities and injustices in order to move forward and create change.
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
CPI Employee Spotlight of the Week
Here’s another spotlight to keep in touch with what we’ve been up to while we stay at home!
Say hi to Kaaren, an employee at CPI!
Kaaren has mostly been staying busy by taking care of her one-year-old puppy, Honeybee. They go on walks around the neighborhood and visit neighbors from a distance. Kaaren is very proactive and loves to be involved with her community, so staying home is hard for her. She really misses going to PHAME, the DD Council, Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition, and working at the Community Pathways office. For now, she joins PHAME activities online and partakes in weekly Zoom staff meetings to catch up with coworkers. She is doing a great job of staying home – but she is excited for the day it is safe to hug her friends again!
Kaaren and her dog, Honeybee
Events and Resources
Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ), Community Conversations
Throughout July, the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) is hosting a series of online conversations related to experiences with Institutional racism and implicit bias. Oregon’s new hate crime law , and how Oregon DOJ can engage with your community.
To join the sessions below, click here to join with video or dial in toll-free for audio-only: 1-855-797-9485.
LGBTQIA+ Session: Monday, July 6, 2020, 1-3pm
Event/access code: 133 804 1146, Password: justice
Religious Minority Session: Wednesday, July 8, 2020, 1-3pm
Event/access code: 133 613 1955, Password: justice
Latinx Session: Friday, July 10, 2020, 1-3pm
Event/access code: 133 177 1055, Password: justice
Black/African American Session: Monday, July 13, 2020, 1-3pm
Event/access code: 133 606 1693, Password: justice
Clackamas Service Center
Clackamas Service Center is a non-profit food pantry that is delivering free groceries during the COVID-19 pandemic to homes in the following zip codes:
97015. 97027. 97045. 97086. 97202. 97206. 97214. 97215. 97216. 97222. 97266. 97267. 97266.
To request a free grocery delivery: Call (503) 560-6178 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. If you reach a voicemail message, leave a message with your name & phone number. If you cannot call, email at info@cscoregon.org.
If you live in a zip code that is not listed here, visit Oregon Food Bank’s website to find food assistance near you.