Deschutes County public health officials presented an update on local respiratory‑season trends and vaccine guidance during the Oct. 8 board meeting, summarizing last season’s laboratory data, current local test positivity and the 2025–26 vaccine guidance for influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID‑19.

Heather Kaiser, public health director, introduced Sarah Van Meter, immunization coordinator, and Dr. Richard Fawcett, the county health officer and infectious‑disease specialist, who reviewed local PCR test positivity from area labs and urged residents to use county resources to stay informed.

Officials noted that 2024–25 influenza activity locally peaked in mid‑ to late December, when as many as 29 percent of PCR tests were positive at the peak, with a sustained season into March (a later peak of roughly 17 percent in mid‑March). RSV traditionally affects infants more severely; Oregon’s 2024–25 RSV season locally began Dec. 21, 2024, officials said. COVID‑19 PCR positivity rose in late summer 2025, peaking locally near 16 percent in late August before easing to roughly 13 percent in the most recent report; officials cautioned that PCR figures undercount mild cases detected only by home rapid tests.

Van Meter explained vaccine eligibility and timing: influenza vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months and older, with adults 65 and older preferentially offered a high‑dose formulation; RSV immunization and monoclonal antibody options are available for infants and specific older or at‑risk adults, and COVID‑19 boosters target recent omicron subvariants. "All children 6 months and older are eligible to receive a flu vaccine," Van Meter said. She added that RSV monoclonal antibodies provide passive protection for infants for about five months and should be given close to season onset.

Dr. Fawcett summarized the federal and regional approval timeline that affected access to COVID‑19 boosters this fall: disagreements and committee changes delayed unified federal guidance; the West Coast Health Alliance (states including Oregon, Washington, California and Hawaii) issued regional guidance allowing pharmacies to vaccinate without prescriptions on Sept. 17; the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) later endorsed shared clinical decision making and CDC accepted ACIP’s recommendation on Oct. 6, 2025. Officials said pharmacies in Oregon can now offer COVID‑19 boosters without a prescription in line with the regional guidance.

Speakers emphasized that PCR test data come primarily from local hospitals and labs (Saint Charles, Summit, COPA) and therefore do not capture all community testing; wastewater surveillance generally parallels lab data and can provide early signals. Officials urged common‑sense measures—hand hygiene, staying home when ill, masking in crowded settings when appropriate—and noted county weekly respiratory reports and an email sign‑up via the Deschutes County website for ongoing updates.

Commissioners asked for additional detail on numerical testing volumes and wastewater signals; public health staff agreed to provide recent numeric test counts and links to the weekly respiratory report with emergency‑department and wastewater indicators.