Governor Kate Brown announces new criteria for business closures due to COVID-19

Eight months after first ordering Oregonians to stay home, Governor Kate Brown is issuing a series of criteria specifying when the state will close county-by-county indoor restaurants and gyms.

Going forward, the governor will make some restrictions more stringent and others less than stringent during the two-week freeze she announced statewide.

For the 21 counties currently classified as at extreme risk of COVID-19 transmission, as of the frost on December 3, restaurants will be allowed to offer outdoor dining, regardless of the number of cases.

This is less stringent than the current criteria, although the state has not currently defined a risk category for the closure of outdoor dining. Brown simply included this closure in the two-week “freeze” currently in place statewide.

Likewise, churches will no longer be limited to 25 people; instead, the limit will be 100 people, or 25% of the occupancy limits, whichever is smaller.

On the other hand, retail establishments will be limited to 50% of their capacity instead of the current 75%. These are more stringent criteria.

The state defines “extreme risk” counties as those that have recorded 200 cases per 100,000 population in the past 14 days and 10% or more positivity.

Currently, 21 counties in the state are categorized as extreme risk, including the three counties in the metro area – Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties.

The new categories do not change the criteria for opening schools or emergency child care.