Adventist Health Tillamook Responds to COVID-19 Surge in Tillamook County

We enter the fifth wave of COVID-19 resurgence in the State of Oregon not seen since February of this year, and Tillamook county case reporting data shows a correlating escalation of COVID-19 cases as well. Adventist Health Tillamook is responding to a surge in patients at the medical center and the Adventist Health Medical Office – Plaza by providing volume staffing to accommodate this increase. The executive team is meeting twice daily, seven days a week, to make necessary staffing or process adjustments.

At the time of this release, the medical center is not at capacity and elective surgery will continue under existing safety precautions. To maintain the medical center and clinic capacity for patients in urgent need, it is essential for those who have COVID and are not yet showing symptoms or are only mildly ill to quarantine in their homes. Only those with severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, becoming confused or especially hard to wake, persistent chest pain/pressure, or developing bluish lips/face should seek care at the Emergency Department.

Due to this surge, Adventist Health Tillamook is instituting a no visitor policy with exceptions. This applies to our medical center, campus medical facilities and all medical offices, including Manzanita, Pacific City, Lincoln City, Sheridan, Vernonia, Estacada and Hoodland. Medical center visitors will only be accepted in instances of near-terminal demise, the extremely young and for labor and delivery. Visitor restrictions also allow for memory or physical assistance. All efforts will be made to keep families up to date and in communication with care providers and their loved ones.

We believe the evidence of getting a vaccine to be clear. Even immunized people have been shown to transmit the disease before becoming symptomatic, underscoring that mask use is important for everyone. All of the COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and highly recommended. We encourage all patients and associates to get the vaccine immediately and follow recently announced state-wide mask usage mandates.