By Associated Press • 

Oregon expands virus mask order to children, lowers venue size, curbs bar curfews

 

[Updated with additional detail at 3:20 p.m. Wednesday, July 22]

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Wednesday that she is expanding the state's current COVID-19 mask order to also apply to children 5 years and older and that she is decreasing the capacity of indoor venues from 250 people to 100.

The governor said these new mandates, which go into effect Friday, are necessary to help slow the increasing spread of coronavirus. On Tuesday, the total number of confirmed and presumptive virus cases in the state topped 15,000.

“When we see the numbers rise, we must respond,” Brown said.

Currently anyone who is 12 years or older must wear masks inside public spaces and in outdoor areas where they can not maintain six feet of physical distancing. The mandate will now apply to anyone 5 years or older.

“These younger children can be infected by COVID-19. These younger children live with families,” Oregon State Health Authority Epidemiologist Dean Sidelinger said.

In conjunction with the mask expansion, Oregon's Department of Education announced that school students will be required to wear face coverings during in-person instruction if they return to the classroom in the fall. The department will distribute 5 million face coverings to school districts for students and employees to wear to help with the new requirement.

Brown said that state health and education officials are working together to draft “clear metrics" for school boards on reopening. The governor said the metrics will be released this week.

“One thing is very clear, school in the fall will not look like a normal year,” Brown said.

In addition to Brown's new statewide restrictions, Brown announced the capacity of indoor venues in Oregon, such as bars, restaurants, gyms, churches and movie theaters, will be decreased from 250 people to 100 people.

Lastly, restaurants and bars across the state will be required to close at 10 p.m. rather than 12 a.m.

“The steps Gov. Brown announced today build on previous measures she has announced in recent weeks,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state’s epidemiologist. "These measures are designed to slow community spread and address hotspots.”

Although Brown announced added safety measures, there is one mandate that is loosening. The state is starting to allow outdoor visits to residents at long-term care facilities where there are no COVID-19 cases.

The Oregon Health Authority reported 264 new confirmed coronvirus cases Wednesday and two new deaths, raising the total number of cases in the state since the start of the pandemic to 15,353. The state's death toll is 271.

Sidelinger said many of the cases are sporadic or community spread.

“Meaning the virus is circulating more than we hoped,” Sidelinger said.

In addition, Brown said there has been an increase in cases connected to tourism. As a result she is considering restricting travel into Oregon when tourists are coming from state's with high infection rates and requiring mandatory quarantine for people traveling from known COVID-19 hotspots.

“I will be taking action to address this soon and my office is talking to neighboring states about this issue,” Brown said.

Sidelinger said although hospitalizations are continuing to rise, it is not increasing at the same rate as new infections, in part because there are more cases among younger people who tend to experience milder symptoms of COVID-19.

Nearly 40 percent of the state's cases are people in their 20's and 30's.

“Today, Oregon hospitals continue to have an adequate number of ICU beds and ventilators to treat people with severe COVID-19 illness,“ Sidelinger said. ”But, we can’t ignore the looming danger – if left unchecked, we’re on a trajectory to overwhelm our health care system with cases in the future.”

For most, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

By SARA CLINE Associated Press/Report for America

 

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Wednesday that she is expanding the state's current COVID-19 mask order to also apply to children 5 years and older and that she is decreasing the capacity of indoor venues from 250 people to 100.

The governor said these new mandates, which go into effect Friday, are necessary to help slow the increasing spread of coronavirus. On Tuesday, the total number of confirmed and presumptive virus cases in the state topped 15,000. At least 269 people have died.

“When we see the numbers rise, we must respond,” Brown said.

Currently anyone who is 12 years or older must wear masks inside public spaces and in outdoor areas where they can not maintain physical distance. The mandate will now apply to anyone 5 years or older.

In addition, the capacity of indoor venues in Oregon, which includes bars, restaurants, gyms, churches and movie theaters, will be decreased to 100 people.

Lastly, restaurants and bars across the state will be required to close at 10 p.m. rather than 12 a.m.

“The steps Gov. Brown announced today build on previous measures she has announced in recent weeks,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state’s epidemiologist. "These measures are designed to slow community spread and address hotspots.”

While workplace outbreaks are not increasing case counts as much as earlier in the pandemic, Sidelinger said there is an concerning increase in sporadic or community spread cases.

“Meaning the virus is circulating more than we hoped,” Sidelinger said.

In addition, Brown said there has also been an increase in cases connected to tourism and as a result she is considering requiring mandatory quarantining for people arriving from places that are known COVID-19 hotspots.

Sidelinger said although hospitalizations are continuing to rise, it is not increasing at the same rate as new infections, in part because there are more cases among younger people who tend to experience milder symptoms of COVID-19.

“Today, Oregon hospitals continue to have an adequate number of ICU beds and ventilators to treat people with severe COVID-19 illness,“ Sidelinger said. ”But, we can’t ignore the looming danger – if left unchecked, we’re on a trajectory to overwhelm our health care system with cases in the future.”

For most, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

 

Comments

Pedro

How nice of Kate. I can't wait until the election is over and she can go back to doing nothing because that's what all of this is about.

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