Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
A: Nursing home workers are required to get the COVID-19 vaccine before October 18, as part of a vaccine and testing policy that Governor Kate Brown announced in August.
Q: What should I do if I’m worried about exposure in my facility?
A: If you are worried about exposures in your facility you should reach out to your DNS, union steward, and/or infection control specialist. They would be able to give you information specific to your facility.
Q: I had to stay home or was quarantined because of COVID-19 exposure or positive test. Will I get paid?
A: It depends where you work. At Avamere, our largest nursing home employer, we signed a letter of agreement to ensure that workers will be able to access a paid time off (PTO) pool benefit, before using their own PTO. At other nursing homes, workers may have to use their own PTO. Unemployment benefits, detailed below, are also available to help anyone impacted by COVID-19 and rules around unemployment have been loosened to help people temporarily out of work due to quarantine or child care issues.
Child Care
If you are continuing to work during this public health emergency and need child care, please call 211info to get connected with a provider as soon as possible. We’ve put together a guide for SEIU members who are trying to apply.
Fact Sheets & Information
- 211 is the go-to public phone number to get information about Novel Coronavirus and referrals to programs for food, shelter, health care and more. CALL 211 or 1-866-698-6155; TEXT your zip code to 898211 (TXT211); EMAIL help@211info.org.
- Visit the Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 website for weekly public updates about how many people are being monitored in Oregon, as well as sharing updates about how Oregon families can help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
- DHS is publishing regular updates and information for facility-based care providers (nursing homes, AFLs, memory care, etc) on their website.
- Governor Kate Brown is posting updated news and resources, including the latest information on school and business closures, on her official website.
- Ten Steps for preventing Coronavirus: in English and Spanish
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Regarding the Coronavirus and xenophobia — read this article in TIME magazine, and this one from the Los Angeles Times.