The Race against COVID Is not Yet Finished: New Insights on Perceptions of the Pandemic, Vaccinations, Long COVID, and Testing from a Statewide Survey of Oregon Residents

Abstract

Restrictions around gatherings, proof of vaccines, and masking have largely fallen by the wayside in Oregon this spring. Despite a new wave of cases—that we will show are significantly undercounted—the state has not acted to reassert its authority to put these protections back in place. 0 New versions of the highly contagious but less deadly, Omicron variant are spreading widely around Oregon. It is clear that hospitalizations and deaths are not increasing at the same rate that we saw with prior waves—in particular, the Delta wave from the latter half of 2021. This is good news.

ICU beds and hospitals, in general, remain available to COVID patients and people suffering from all other illnesses/injuries that might lead to needing those beds. This, too, is good news.

When Gov. Brown took steps to restrict gatherings and require masks and vaccines in 2020 (continuing until earlier this year), it was because the medical facilities were likely to be overwhelmed. The Omicron wave(s) are not creating shortages of beds yet, but cases, deaths, and hospitalizations have increased in Oregon. We are not yet out of the woods on COVID—even if life is returning to a new ‘normal’ this summer because those restrictions have been relaxed.

Note:
Funding Information: Funding: This survey was partially funded through a grant from the Economic Development Administration.

Conflict of Interests: The authors have no competing interests.

Patient Informed Consent Statement: The study was approved by the University of Oregon Institutional Review Board. Our study was given the approval number by RCS with an Exempt Determination with Protocol #08052020.005.

Keywords: COVID-19, coronavirus, long COVID, vaccination, public health