Oregon, Washington lifting many COVID-19 measures Thurs. as U.S. emergency status ends

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon health officials are lifting several COVID-19 response measures Thursday, including the five-day period of isolation for those infected with the virus, as the pandemic’s federal public health emergency status is set to expire.

Some of the Oregon Health Authority’s changes go into effect when the U.S. emergency expires Thursday, while others will take effect in the coming weeks.

Starting Thursday, workers in healthcare settings will no longer be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. A similar requirement for teachers and school staff will lift on June 17.

Health officials say they are removing the five-day isolation period, also set to end Thursday, because it’s doing little to reduce transmission among cases that are likely asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.

OHA officials said they believe that through vaccinations and repeated infections, there is widespread population immunity.

"What we know now as we look at the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19, we're at some of the lowest rates that we've seen in a year,” said State Health Officer Dr. Dean Sidelinger. “We know that there are many people who report being sick either with symptoms of COVID-19 or having tested positive for COVID-19, and we're still detecting COVID-19 in our wastewater, but that's been at a fairly consistent level. We're not seeing an increase in hospitalizations."

Sidelinger said they'll continue to monitor the hospitalization levels.

We're likely to see changes to the way OHA reports COVID data, and that means less of it. The OHA will no longer require reporting of COVID-19 tests to local public health authorities.

“Right now, these rates are lower,” Sidelinger said. “The changes we are making are reflective of that, and we move into a period where we can sustain our response and provide information to people to make decisions to continue to protect themselves as we have to live with COVID-19 going forward.”

Washington will also see several changes starting Thursday, also dropping its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for employees at state agencies as a condition of their employment.

Washington Exposure Notifications (WA Notify) app, a system that alerts people who may been exposed to someone who recently tested positive, is also ending. Since its launch, which was two and half years ago, state officials say about 235,000 people have confirmed a positive test result through the app.

Free COVID-19 tests will no longer be provided and there won’t be automatic insurance coverage for COVID-19 tests and treatment.

If you test positive, the state says you should still tell close contacts they might have been exposed.

MORE FROM THE OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY:

Vaccination requirements

Effective Thursday (May 11), workers in healthcare settings will no longer be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 under state rules, OHA announced today. A similar vaccination requirement for teachers and school staff in private and public education settings will lift June 17, the end of the last week of school, to support consistency in student instruction through this school year.

Exposure, isolation guidance

A five-day period of isolation for those infected with COVID-19 also will no longer be recommended for the general population, including people in K-12 education settings. Oregon public health officials believe widespread population immunity due to vaccination and repeated infections means many COVID-19 infections are now likely asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, and the five-day isolation period is doing little to reduce transmission.

Instead, officials say, the recommendation for the general population will be to stay home until fever free for 24 hours and symptoms are improving; avoid contact with individuals at increased risk for severe disease, including older adults and those with underlying medical conditions; and consider masking for 10 days.

School testing

Diagnostic testing resources for students and staff with symptoms or exposure to COVID-19 in schools will remain available through July 31, 2024. iHealth self-tests will remain available for K-12 schools to request and distribute to their school communities until the current stock is depleted. Weekly opt-in “screening” testing for K-12 students and staff without COVID-19 symptoms will end on July 31 as funding for the effort wraps up.

The endings of the vaccination, isolation, and some testing measures are among a spate of impending changes over the coming weeks as Oregon, and the nation, continue the long, careful transition out of the pandemic. A number of “flexibilities” put in place during the pandemic will remain in effect.

The following are among the COVID-era activities and requirements that will continue after May 11:

• An extension of a 90-day “reasonable opportunity period” for non-citizens to verify citizenship or immigration status to 180 days so they can enroll in the Oregon Health Plan (OHP).
• A requirement that OHP providers, including coordinated care organizations, continue to cover COVID-19 vaccinations and treatment without cost sharing, and that commercial health insurers cover vaccinations without cost sharing. In Oregon, vaccinations are covered no matter where someone gets a shot. Oregonians should contact their healthcare provider about where they can get vaccinated.
• A requirement that Oregon health care providers be reimbursed for language interpreter services (spoken or signed) provided during an office visit.
• A requirement that OHP providers offer access to telehealth services.
• In addition, state officials are currently implementing previously announced changes in access to Medicaid coverage and other human services programs administered by the state and federal governments.