Freeze, Oregon: Governor Kate Brown restricts businesses again as COVID-19 cases rise

Alarmed by a dramatic and sustained rise in new cases of COVID-19, Governor Kate Brown on Friday announced strict regulations intended to reduce interactions between Oregonians.

The two-week “freeze” is reminiscent of many of the restrictions on the “stay home, save lives” order that Brown issued in March. It will come into effect on Wednesday November 18 and will run until at least December 2. The restrictions under the new framework apply statewide, and not just in counties where the coronavirus is acutely spread. And the new restrictions will be in place in parts of Oregon for more than two weeks. Brown said Multnomah County will be subject to the new guidelines for at least four weeks and other hot spots will also face longer restrictions.

“Maybe we thought the fight was over, but it wasn’t,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state epidemiologist. “This is probably Oregon’s most dangerous time.”

The new regulations include:

• Restriction of restaurants and bars to take-out service only.
• Closure of gymnasiums and other indoor recreation facilities, museums and indoor entertainment such as theaters.
• Closure of outdoor recreation facilities, zoos, gardens and entertainment venues. The city’s parks and playgrounds will remain open.
• Require all businesses to require employees to work from home when possible and to close offices to the public.
• Limit grocery stores and retail stores to 75% of their capacity and encourage curbside pick-up service.
• Prohibit visits to retirement homes and other long-term care facilities.
• Limit social gatherings, whether indoors or outdoors, to a maximum of six people from two households.
• Limitation of worship services to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.

“These risk reduction measures are essential to limit the spread of COVID-19, reduce the risk in communities more vulnerable to serious illness and death, and help conserve hospital capacity so all Oregonians can continue to have access. to quality care, ”Brown’s office said. in a press release.

Rising regulations are the most difficult steps Brown has taken since a series of executive orders at the start of the pandemic. But they are not that widespread either.

For example, schools, sports, and child care in Kindergarten to Grade 12 will not see any significant change. Neither higher education nor Division 1 athletics (think Ducks and Beavers football). Services such as hair salons, barber shops and massage parlors can all continue as part of their current business.

The Oregon Health Authority plans to release sector specific guidance in the coming days. It was not immediately clear how Brown would seek to enforce the new rules. In the past, authorities have taken a largely hands-off approach to controlling individual safety-related conduct of COVID-19, while companies have faced possible penalties for violating regulations.

Oregon officials have long avoided shutting down any part of the state’s economy again, but have also warned that it may be necessary if the spread of COVID-19 gets out of hand.

Now it has happened. In recent days, the state has continuously set records for new daily cases, registering 1,122 worrying new cases on Thursday. This is the first time that new daily cases have eclipsed 1,000. The total reported Friday is almost as high: 1,076, with seven more deaths in Oregon. Forty-two people died in Oregon last week, the highest total since the start of the pandemic.

It is believed that the increase in the number of cases is at least in part due to the colder fall weather, which pushes people indoors for small gatherings that would otherwise take place outdoors.

“What is causing this spread?” Sidelinger said. “Two words: social gatherings.”

It’s a point that was also brought to the fore on Friday by a coalition of state trading groups and chambers of commerce pushing further limits on companies. In a letter preparing for new restrictions, the group called on Brown to postpone the new limits on business. Instead, business groups suggested a strong public education campaign on private gatherings and increasing case detection and detection, among other potential steps that wouldn’t be as painful for business owners. company and their employees.

“Resorting to previously enacted restrictions and closures that ultimately punish businesses for spread beyond their control is not the right solution,” the letter said. “We implore you, Governor, if you are considering further restrictions or actual closures, please take a break.”

For health officials, public information campaigns have not seemed effective enough.

Medical officials have warned that hospitals could fill up if the trend is not verified. Already, the Oregon University of Health and Science has taken the first steps of its COVID-19 emergency plans, converting one of its intensive care units into a COVID-only space. Some hospitals have started limiting elective procedures in order to keep resources available for an increase in the number of coronavirus patients, the Oregonian / OregonLive reported.

“When people get sick, we need to make sure there are enough hospital beds, PPE and staff to prepare,” Brown said Tuesday at a press briefing. PPE refers to personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks. “This is very serious. Oregon is going down the wrong road.”

Oregon announced 746 deaths from the coronavirus on Friday morning, along with 53,779 known cases.

Brown also joined the governors of Washington and California on Friday in announcing a joint “travel advisory”. While all tri-states urge people to avoid unnecessary travel, they are also asking people visiting – or returning home from another state – to self-quarantine for two weeks.

“As hospitals in the West are overcrowded, we need to take action to make sure travelers don’t bring this disease home,” Brown said in a statement. “If you don’t need to travel, you shouldn’t.”

This story will be updated.