Multnomah County will require indoor masks from August 13

Multnomah County President Deborah Kafoury has once again led the state: in response to the latest spike in COVID-19 cases, she is implementing the first new county-wide mask mandate since the State lifted the restrictions.

Kafoury’s decree will require that vaccinated and unvaccinated people, aged 5 years and over, wear masks in any indoor public space. It goes into effect on Friday, August 13, and could last until January 2022. The county will publish a number to call and a website to report violations on Wednesday, with fines of up to $ 1,000.

“We know the masks work,” says Kafoury. “They are tried and true. They are affordable. And they are an effective way to limit the spread of this virus and its variants. Until more of us are vaccinated in Multnomah County, masks remain one of the best strategies to protect ourselves as much as possible. “

The warrant follows a recommendation from Multnomah County regarding the wearing of the mask issued on July 26.

Kafoury announced the tenure today at a virtual press conference that included other notable highlights.

First, on the spread of the disease and the risk: COVID cases in the county fell to around 100 a week last month. As of last week, the number of new infections was over 1,000. (But Multnomah County has a relatively low case rate compared to the rest of the state: the fifth lowest, according to data from the Oregon Health Authority.)

And Oregon is ranked the sixth most vulnerable state to another increase in COVID cases, according to Oregon Health & Science University chief medical officer Dr. Renee Edwards, who attended the press conference alongside representatives from all Portland hospital systems. This ranking is the product of the state’s success in containing the virus in previous waves: Oregon has a lower infection immunity rate, even though the state has a higher vaccination rate than most. from other states.

“Please don’t think of masking as a closed Oregon, but instead think about keeping our hospitals open for our patients and limiting the spread of the virus so our schools can be open for our children,” said Edwards, who approved the county’s mask mandate.

“Now many of you are hearing this news and wondering what to do,” she added. “We know what to do.”

She made three recommendations:

She also called on the unvaccinated to limit their activities.

There were other highlights during the press conference. To get an idea of ​​how seriously Portland’s health and elected officials are taking peak cases, here are some highlights:

County officials have repeatedly referred to the need to hide in order to safely open schools and keep businesses open, but the county has left open the possibility of further restrictions and closures.

“The metrics are still under development,” Kafoury explains. “We are exploring all other options. Hopefully this will help us stem the tide.