Thread by @OHAOregon

OHA Senior Health Advisor Dr. Melissa Sutton during today's media availability: "Currently, Oregon reports the number of persons tested for #COVID19 each week. Our data shows that to date, more than 966,000 people -- nearly 1 in 4 Oregonians – have been tested."

"Until this point, we have counted and reported people tested, because our infectious disease database was created and formatted to track people as opposed to laboratory results. Many other states report people tested for this same reason."

"Why have we reported the total number of people tested, instead of the total number of tests? Early in the pandemic, testing was occurring mostly through the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory or in hospital systems. Cases were being retested frequently."

"As the pandemic has progressed, many more people are being tested for COVID-19 and much more often. Testing criteria and practices have expanded dramatically, and today we recommend testing anyone with symptoms as well as all close contacts of cases."

"Under our current method of counting, we report:
-- Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19. They are then excluded from being counted again for 90 days because reinfection is unlikely during that period.
-- Any person who tests negative, but only the first time."

"As a result, our people-tested metric really represents the number of new people tested each week and is significantly undercounting the true number of COVID-19 tests performed in Oregon."

"So, based on these COVID-19 testing methodologies, where does Oregon stand in relation to other states? Oregon is not at the bottom of the list when it comes to testing. According to CDC's data tracker, Oregon ranks 30th in the rate of tests performed per 100,000 people."

"This morning I want to announce a change in the way Oregon reports the number of tests performed in our state – and tell you what it means for our pandemic response. In the early pandemic measuring either people tested, or tests performed resulted in similar figures."

"However, in September as cases counts began to rise, these two methods began to diverge. And, as case counts have sharply increased so has the difference between the two methods."

"The difference is explained by people who have been tested previously & excluded under our current method: people who have been exposed to the virus more than once, people tested for work, in congregate living facilities, as part of an outbreak investigation, etc."

"Now, you’re probably asking yourself: How will Oregon’s percent positivity rate change under the new test-based reporting method? Percent positivity calculated by people tested vs. tests performed tracked very closely until case counts began to rise in September."

"Over the last few weeks, as case counts have skyrocketed, the difference in percent positivity as counted by these two methods has sharply intensified. We see that our most recent percent positivity calculation of 12.9% drops to 6.7% under our new test-based method."

"While percent positivity calculated under this new method is dramatically lower, we still consider 6.7% high and evidence of widespread community transmission."

"We have received 440,000 BinaxNow tests and deployed more than 160,000 to partners. Since Oregon began receiving the Abbott BinaxNOW tests, the number of tests performed has increased by 60%, to more than 113,000 last week."

"However, we continue to face testing constraints:
-- BinaxNow tests must be administered by trained personnel at federally certified locations
-- Federal allocations of BinaxNow tests are slated to end at the end of the year."

"We are actively working to recruit new testing partners to meet the requirements necessary to perform these tests. In addition to the BinaxNOW, we are standing up a series of low-barrier community testing events in partnership with HHS through the end of the year."

"Testing events are currently planned in 12 counties. They’re free and open to everyone. These events do not require identification or a physician’s order. For more information, visit our website: govstatus.egov.com/OR-OHA-COVID-19"

"Oregon, like many other states, is working hard to bring more testing to Oregonians. But we know a test doesn’t protect you from COVID-19. As Director Allen said: wear a mask, stay physically distant from others, avoid gatherings, stay home when possible and wash your hands."