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Oregon Governor Kate Brown on Wednesday announced she was easing many restrictions she placed just a week ago on bars, restaurants, gyms, stores and religious organizations in order to ” stem the unprecedented and uncontrollable spread of COVID-19.
Starting Thursday, December 3, many of Brown’s restrictions will be lifted in counties in Oregon that have not been so badly affected by the coronavirus.
But most of Brown’s restrictions will likely still remain in place on Dec. 3 in 21 counties – including Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties – that the state deems at “extreme risk” of rampant viral spread. The restrictions overall, however, will not be so strict.
From December 3:
– Brown will allow restaurants and bars to reopen for alfresco dining only in those “extreme risk” counties. Gyms will also be allowed to organize outdoor fitness activities.
– Religious organizations will be able to organize services at 25% capacity or with up to 100 people indoors or 150 people outdoors in those “extreme risk” counties. Brown’s current restrictions limit faith-based organization to gatherings of no more than 25 people indoors or 50 people outdoors.
– Social gatherings within households will continue to be limited to six people in total, with a recommendation that no more than two households come together at a time.
– Retail stores and shopping centers will be limited to 50% of their capacity. Currently, stores are limited to 75% of their capacity. This new restriction will mark an area in which Brown is tightening the requirements.
Brown is easing restrictions even as Oregon’s COVID-19 crisis continues to worsen. The governor had come under intense criticism and come under heavy pressure from industry groups to ease his restrictions after announcing them earlier this month as part of a two-week freeze across the country. State which is in effect from November 18 to December 2.
Multnomah County was expected to be under a four-week freeze, which expired in mid-December, but it looks like Brown’s recently revised plan will reverse the freeze.
On November 13, the day Brown announced the two-week and four-week freezes, daily new cases of the coronavirus averaged a record 900 per day in Oregon. As of Wednesday, the spread of the coronavirus had only continued to skyrocket, with Oregon averaging more than 1,200 cases per day.
Check back later for more details on this developing story.
– Aimee Green; [email protected]; @o_aimee
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