Health & Medicine

The University of Oregon has seen a spike in students and employees testing positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks.

191 people associated with UO have tested positive in the past 14 days. That includes 103 on-campus students, 85 off-campus students and three employees. 

In all of December, the university reported a total combined 103 students and employees with positive test results.

Oregon has its first case of the new, more contagious U.K. variant of COVID-19, the Oregon Health Authority announced on Friday.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said increased vaccine shipments will not arrive next week. The head of the state health authority said this puts vaccination efforts “at grave risk.”

Lane County Public Health officials announced they will hold two COVID-19 vaccination clinics this weekend. The mass vax opportunities are only for high-risk health care providers in a specific group.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is speeding up the schedule for expanding COVID-19 vaccine access to everyone 65 and older as well as to childcare providers and K-12 teachers and staff.

Clinical trials for coronavirus vaccines continue and volunteers are still needed. Velocity Clinical Research in Medford is currently recruiting up to 400 people to take part in coronavirus vaccine studies.

The City of Eugene wants locals to help inform officials on how COVID-19 has affected them, through an online survey.

Lane County Public Health has received its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine. 

Last week, Eugene/Springfield Fire received its first shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. They got 1,000 doses. Acting Fire Chief Chris Heppel said they immediately began administering shots to first responders.

Public health officials in Lincoln County are searching for eligible recipients to receive the coronavirus vaccine.

According to the Oregon Health Authority, 51,255 Oregonians have received a COVID-19 vaccine as of Tuesday. Nine of them have received two doses and are fully immunized.

Oregon State University researchers in Bend are trying to understand how different communities, both nationally and locally, have responded to public health messaging about the coronavirus pandemic.

A professor at Oregon State University released a report last month that compared cigarette usage among racial and ethnic groups. Researchers found disparities in the effectiveness of anti-smoking measures.

Less than a week after Lane County hit the milestone of 6,000 positive COVID-19 cases on Friday, the total has grown to 6,437 confirmed and presumptive cases.

Gym owners, staff, and members gathered in Eugene’s Free Speech Plaza Monday to protest the closure of fitness facilities under the governor’s freeze. Gyms are among the businesses shutdown under the latest COVID-19 restrictions.

The Eugene Mission remains on lockdown after 69 positive cases of COVID-19 were discovered there last week.