Events are being canceled, restaurants are closing to protect staff + customers, and schools are returning to more cautious protocols. The COVID-19 situation is dynamic, but here is a snapshot of where Portland stands.

Cases

This week, Oregon set new single-day records for cases four times in a row, with the most recent high mark being 7,615 on Thursday, with 23.3% of tests showing positive. For comparison, these are local counties’ numbers from the same day: Multnomah (1,598), Washington (1,333), and Clackamas (756).

Hospitalizations

So far, hospitalizations statewide remain relatively low compared to the peak of the Delta variant (1,178) last September, though there has been a steady uptick since Christmas. Experts worry that Omicron will surpass previous records + push hospitals beyond capacity without stringent preventative measures.

Testing

The Oregon Health Authority has ordered 6 million at-home kits, and will rely on various organizations to distribute them to schools, agriculture + health care workers, and Indigenous communities. Here are more ways to get tested:

Vaccinations

Looking for a COVID-19 vaccine or booster? Get Vaccinated Oregon’s tool will help you locate sites for vaccines + testing.

Quarantine

When the CDC changed its isolation recommendations, the OHA broke down what they mean for Oregonians.

Masks
By now, we all probably have a favorite cloth mask, but experts warn that it may not be enough to protect you from Omicron. Instead, they say wearing one over a N95 or KN95 mask is a much better way to filter out the particles that can make you sick. The Oregonian put together a collection of national N95 mask suppliers here.

Share these resources to help protect your loved ones from the Omicron variant.

EVENTS

Today

Trail Blazers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | Fri., Jan. 7 | 7 p.m. | Moda Center | $6+ | Hometown-hero Kevin Love returns to the PNW on the wrong side of Anfernee Simons. 🏀

Tomorrow

Greenway Trail Bird Walk | Sat., Jan. 8 | 8-11:30 a.m. | 13899 NW 36th Ave., Vancouver, WA | Free | Register in advance to learn about local birds + their habitats.
Snack Takeover | Sat., Jan. 8 + Sat., Jan. 22 | 2-8 p.m. | Grains of Wrath PDX, 3901 N Williams Ave., Suite A | Free | Support local business BOILED PDXNUTS + sample the salty wares at this and other pop ups. 🥜
Glow Skate | Sat., Jan. 8 | 7-10:30 p.m. | Oaks Amusement Park | $10 | Skate beneath groovy disco + black lights; one free glow stick included with paid admission.

Sunday

O-Shogatsu, Japanese New Year | Sun., Jan. 9 | All day | Portland Japanese Garden | $13.50+ | Find your zen on a visit to the garden, where there will be hot tea, a lion dance, and authentic decorations + koto music.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

50+ THINGS TO DO IN JANUARY

Note: COVID-19 protocols are changing rapidly to curb the spread of the Omicron variant in Portland. Please make sure to check event listing pages + venue websites for the most up-to-date information.

Many of us don’t know where to begin when it comes to managing daily stress and anxious thoughts. Noom Mood gives users the tools to take on stress, anxiety, and whatever else life throws at them.

With 10-minute daily lessons, coping mechanisms, mindfulness techniques and tools + mood logging to track your progress, you’ll be able to develop healthy habits to help you deal with stress. (Read: More worry-free days are possible.)*

NEWS NOTES

Weather

49º | Periods of wind-driven rain early | 84% chance of rain

Sunrise + Sunset

Rise: 7:50 a.m.
Set: 4:44 p.m.

Community

In 2021, six buildings offering a combined 500+ affordable housing units were completed. The Portland Housing Bureau is also on pace to achieve its highest single-year housing production in 2022, according to the organization’s director Shannon Callahan. (Portland Tribune)
Portlanders who are hard of hearing or deaf may now indicate their status on their driver license + registration. The law, House Bill 2498, aims to ease the challenges of communicating with law enforcement for the deaf community. (OPB)

Announced

Yesterday, Holocene became the first known nightclub in the city to require proof of a COVID-19 booster for anyone looking to dance the night away. With advance permission from staff, club-goers may also show proof of a negative test, as long as it was taken within 24 hours. (Willamette Week)

Drink

That’s gigantic news. Gigantic Brewing Company announced that it will open a third taproom on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard this year. The spot will serve beer, locally-made ciders + wines, plus a curated menu, inspired by late-night bar foods that the founders encountered on trips abroad. 🍻

History

Rudyard Kipling, the problematic British author of “The Jungle Book”, visited Oregon in 1889 during travels in the US. Not impressed with much elsewhere in the country, he did write about returning from a Clackamas River fishing trip “weeping tears of pure joy,” fixing the state in popular imagination at the time. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

📸 @portlandjapanesegarden

If you visit the Portland Japanese Garden soon, you’ll probably notice several twisted ropes adorning the entrances. They are shimenawa, rice straw decorations that come in a variety of forms + are used for ritual purification in the Shinto religion.

It’s common to see them on houses in Japan during New Year celebrations or even at groundbreaking ceremonies for new buildings. Besides being beautifully-crafted art, they’re meant to signify the boundary between the world + sacred spaces, while also warding off evil energy — an idea we can all get behind right now.

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THE WRAP

Hey there, Portland. In case you haven’t looked outside, it’s been raining, like a lot. When that happens, flooding usually isn’t far behind. As someone who grew up across from a river that liked to hop its banks every now and then, I’d like to reiterate a bit of common sense for anyone who needs to hear it. If you can’t see the bottom of standing water, don’t try to drive through it. It could damage your vehicle + put you in danger. Be safe out there.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Dig into the story of Portland’s Franz Bakery.