News/Press Release

Did you test positive?

Most people infected with COVID-19 do not need to isolate for a set number of days. However, one should be aware of their potential to infect others around them. 

This new health and safety framework uses four different risk levels for counties based on their level of COVID-19 spread—Extreme Risk, High Risk, Moderate Risk, and Lower Risk—effective December 3.

The Center for Disease Control recommends everyone 6 months of age and older receive a flu vaccine. Please call your primary care provider to schedule an appointment. Flu vaccine is also available at many pharmacies in our county. If your primary care provider does not offer the flu vaccine or you do not have insurance, please call us to schedule an appointment. We are not accepting walk-in appointments at this time. 

Click the link below to see the current data on COVID-19 in Polk County:
https://www.co.polk.or.us/ph

Saturday, September 19th 1PM: Update from the Polk County Fairgrounds Emergency Operations:

Beginning Sunday, September 20th, the day center operating out of the main building at the Polk County Fairgrounds will be reducing our hours. We will be open to assist those who have been displaced by the fires from 12pm to 7pm.

Also beginning Sunday, September 20th, we will no longer be accepting donations. If you are still interested in donating to the wildfire relief efforts, please contact the United Way.

Currently there are no active wildfires in Polk County that have resulted in evacuations. At this time we recommend being ready and watching for updates from local news and other sources.  Please consider signing up for Marion Polk Alerts, our free countywide mass notification system.  https://member.everbridge.net/892807736721950/login

Evacuation Levels

Alyrica has partnered with Polk County to build the infrastructure needed to bring Broadband Internet to even the most rural areas of Polk County. You can find the coverage map here.

On 8/22/20 at about 1:40 pm the Sheriff's Office received a call about a juvenile clinging to a branch in the Willamette River just north of the Buena Vista Ferry. The caller advised that the child and his father were caught up in ropes and that the father was holding the child above water. Marine Patrol deputies responded with jet skis and were able to safely get both to shore, then returned to collect the equipment.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office used federally funded overtime to put extra deputies on patrol in an enforcement campaign to bring attention to distracted driving, speeding, and seat belt usage. The goal was to reduce the risk of traffic crashes and injuries resulting from crashes. The campaign ran from August 2 through 8, 2020.