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Video: Oregon health official wears clown make-up giving COVID-19 case update

Video: Oregon health official wears clown make-up giving COVID-19 case update
Posted at 12:39 PM, Oct 29, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-29 12:39:06-04

A doctor with the Oregon Health Authority is getting attention after she wore clown make-up during a recent video update on the state’s coronavirus cases.

Dr. Claire Poché starts out the video update like any other, stating her name, introducing her colleague who joins the video later and then giving an update on Oregon’s COVID-19 numbers.

“As of today there have been 38,160 cases in Oregon, with 390 cases being reported today. Sadly, we are also reporting 3 deaths today, bringing the statewide total of COVID related deaths to 608,” Dr. Poché said in an October 14 video, while visually looking like a clown.

She is wearing white and red make-up on her face made up to look like a clown, in addition to a polka dot shirt, bright red tie and yellow pants.

Dr. Poché does not reference the make-up on her face, or offer an explanation for her look.

The video cuts to another doctor with the Oregon Health Authority, also wearing a costume, who talks about safe ways to celebrate Halloween with pandemic safety precautions in mind.

At this point, viewers might start making the assumption the costume and Dr. Poché’s make-up are part of a coordinated plan for Halloween.

About 10 minutes into the video, the two colleagues reference their costumes and talk about their Halloween plans.

The live video was shared on October 14, but is getting attention recently as more people are sharing the jarring COVID-19 update on social media.