COVID Health & Safety | 79th OPHA Annual Conference & Meeting

Oregon Public Health Association leadership and staff are looking forward to an in-person conference this October, making connections that are hard to replicate online and re-connecting with long time colleagues and friends.

COVID-19 continues to be part of our daily lives and it is important to remember that OPHA is composed of and represents the public health profession. With this in mind, we need to be aware of how individual behaviors and actions affect everyone who participates in the conference. 

COVID viruses continue to evolve over time, and we urge everyone to stay informed about updated guidance or restrictions that might take effect in Oregon, Benton County, Corvallis, or OSU campus before or during the conference. 

To best protect each other and our communities, and to model public health best practice, we strongly encourage all attendees to be fully vaccinated and have had all boosters. In addition, we strongly recommend that you wear a mask whenever you are not eating or drinking. Masks will be available on site if you have not brought one and we will have some covered, outdoor seating for those that do not feel comfortable eating or drinking indoors.

We also recommend that everyone test for COVID each morning prior to attending the conference, and to refrain from attending (and leave the venue immediately) if you have any symptoms or are feeling unwell.

Finally, we will be offering red, yellow, and green stickers at the registration desk for your name badge. Green will indicate you are comfortable with close contact, such as a hug. Yellow indicates you are comfortable with limited contact, such as a fist bump. Red indicates that you prefer to maintain some distance and physical contact is not welcome at this time. Warm greetings after being apart for several years will be welcomed.

Please contact Program Committee Chair, Marie Harvey with questions.

Additional resources:

Oregon State University COVID-19 Safety & Success: https://covid.oregonstate.edu/

Corvallis area PCR Testing: https://wvtlab.com/#covid-testing-locations

Oregon Health Authority guidance on testing: https://govstatus.egov.com/or-oha-covid-19-testing

OHA 3949 Home Testing Fact Sheet (state.or.us)

Federal information regarding testing. You can get 4 free tests sent to you this Fall: COVID.gov/tests - Free at-home COVID-19 tests