Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday announced the most sweeping and restrictive COVID-19 safety measures in more than two months — saying she has no choice but to catapult 15 of 36 Oregon counties into an “extreme risk” designation to slow a surge in new cases that’s accelerating faster than in any other state nationwide.
The 15 counties — which include a large swath of the Portland area but not Washington County – on Friday must shut down indoor dining in restaurants and bars and severely curtail the number of patrons to no more than six in gyms, movie theaters, bowling alleys and indoor swimming pools. Indoor visits at long-term care facilities will also be prohibited except under certain circumstances. (The full list of restrictions is available here.)
The affected counties stretch across the state, encompassing parts of eastern, central and southern Oregon, as well as much of the populous Willamette Valley. The full list includes: Baker, Clackamas, Columbia, Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk and Wasco counties.
SALEM, Ore. — Governor Kate Brown announced on Tuesday that more than a dozen Oregon counties will be placed on the state’s highest level of COVID-19 restrictions effective April 30. The state passed a hospitalization threshold on Monday that officials put in place earlier this month.
Jackson, Josephine, and Klamath are among the 15 Oregon counties that will be on “Extreme Risk” status Friday. Curry County will remain at Moderate, and Lake County at Lower Risk.
h/t Tobie