Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency Monday that would free up state and hospital resources to tackle increasing viral infections among infants and children.
Brown’s 16-week order gives her agencies a broad sweep of authority to direct resources and circumvent existing regulations, if deemed necessary to alleviate the emergency. It also allows the Oregon Health Authority to deploy health care volunteers and create emergency health care centers, if necessary.
It is not yet clear exactly how Brown’s agencies will use their new authority, though her office said in a statement the order would “give hospitals additional flexibility to staff beds for children, allow them to draw on a pool of medical volunteer nurses and doctors, and take other steps to provide care to pediatric patients.”
Oregon hospitals have recently seen a dramatic increase in hospitalizations for children with respiratory viruses, particularly RSV, or Respiratory Syncytial Virus, more than tripling the week ending Nov. 5 compared to the previous week, from seven to 24, according to state data. Combined with an existing and severe capacity problem in hospitals, the spread of respiratory viruses “has created a threat to public health and safety, and constitutes a statewide emergency,” Brown’s order said.
“As the country faces a surge in pediatric RSV cases, we want to make sure Oregon’s hospitals have access to the tools they need to provide care for sick kids,” Brown said in a statement. “For parents, please know you can take steps to reduce the risk of RSV, including practicing the good health and hygiene habits we’ve learned over the past few years.”
State health officials recommended that people stay up-to-date on their vaccines, keep children home if they are sick, wash hands thoroughly and often, disinfect high-touch areas, call their health care provider if they have question about their child’s care and only go to the hospital if their child appears to be severely ill.
RSV is transmitted through airborne droplets and direct contact with an infected person or something they touched. The virus produces cold-like symptoms, and most people recover within a few weeks, according to the CDC. An infection can be dangerous or even fatal for infants, young children and older adults. There is no vaccine.
As of Nov. 10, Oregon had four available pediatric intensive care unit beds, out of 40 staffed statewide, the health authority said last week. State data show a dramatic increase in RSV hospitalizations, from around 10 total the week ending Oct. 29 to around 30 by the end of the following week. The vast majority are children under 5.
— Fedor Zarkhin