COVID-19

Phase 1 guidance encourages the public to continue practicing good hygiene, maintain physical distancing, and staying home when you are sick, among others.

Union County Commissioner Paul Anderes talks about wildfire and natural resources in our area as it relates to COVID-19.

Union and Wallowa Counties continue to work diligently to prepare reopening plans that will meet Governor’s approval. The Governor’s benchmarks for reop

Union County Commissioner Matt Scarfo sits down to talk about the challenges business owners are facing with COVID-19 and what lies ahead when they open.

We hope that our public remembers Union and Wallowa Counties did not impose the statewide closures, but we are working diligently to remove all barriers for reopening.

 The Union County Reopening Plan was submitted to Governor Kate Brown’s office last week for approval. The reopening includes a three-phase plan. This does not mean that the County will be immediately reopening. Before Union County can begin phase one of the reopening, the following steps must be met: 1. Governor approval of the Union…

 The Union County Board of Commissioners met in an emergency session today to consider the Union County Reopening Plan prepared by the local Incident Management Team (IMT). The Commissioners agreed to submit the Plan to Governor Kate Brown for approval. Receiving Governor approval of the Plan is the first step towards an incremental reopening. The…

Union County Commissioners will be holding an emergency meeting tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting will be to consider the Union County Reopening Plan to be submitted to Oregon Governor Kate Brown. The Plan was prepared based upon the Public Health framework provided by the Governor’s office. In order to reopen…

An individual is considered recovered once they are free from fever (without the use of fever-reducing medication), cough, shortness of breath, and diarrhea for 72 hours.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has added six additional COVID-19 symptoms to its original list of fever, cough and shortness of breath. The additional symptoms are muscle pain, headache, chills, repeated shaking with chills, sore throat, and loss of taste or smell.

It is our highest priority to allow our citizens to go back to work while continuing to protect our health care providers, emergency responders, and vulnerable populations.

Local officials continue to be concerned about the growing number of cases in areas where Union and Wallowa county residents frequently travel, and urge caution and consideration against traveling to these areas.

The NE Oregon Joint Information Center would like to remind the community to be aware of an increase in online scams from criminals looking to profit from fears about the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is critical that you seek medical care if you are experiencing signs of stroke. Please remember the acronym FAST — F: Face drooping, A: Arm Weakness S: Slurred Speech T: Time to Call 9-1-1.

Over 53,000 individuals across the nation are reported as recovered from COVID-19. Statewide confirmed cases have increased to 1,736, and COVID-19 related deaths have increased to 64. Union County remains at a total of four confirmed cases. Wallowa County remains at one confirmed case. Last evening, the Union County Incident Management Team held a virtual…

 No new COVID-19 cases were reported today in Union County, keeping the total at four confirmed cases. Wallowa County remains at one confirmed case. The total number of cases in Oregon is 1,633. Wednesday, April 15, the public meeting regarding the local response to COVID-19 will be held. In order to respect social distancing, the…

The City of La Grande Parks and Recreation Department has closed the skate park and removed the basketball hoops at Pioneer Park. All playgrounds and restrooms at city parks have been closed.

The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) announced today that the Oregon Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will provide additional benefits for the months of April and May to eligible SNAP households.

Governor Brown announced today that Oregon distributed the first rapid testing COVID-19 instruments to three rural Oregon hospitals.

Spring temperatures are forecast to continue warming in the area this week. Mental health experts recommend fresh air and time in nature, but this needs to be balanced with physical distancing.

 Over 20,000 individuals across the nation are reported as recovered from COVID-19. Statewide confirmed cases have increased to 1,182, up from 1,132 reported yesterday. Union County remains at a total of three confirmed cases. There are no new cases reported in Wallowa County which remains at one confirmed case. The Wallowa County case is not…

A mask provides a physical barrier to prevent droplets from landing on others and discourages the wearer from touching their face. Social distancing, frequent hand washing, and avoiding others when sick continue to be the best means of protection against the coronavirus.

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has released guidance on cleaning and disinfecting your home to help you and your family stay healthy.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has released a COVID-19 assessment tool to help evaluate your symptoms at home before seeking medical care.