Also ramping up testing; some rural counties may begin to reopen by May 15

(Update: Adding governor's news release, including links to more info)

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Gov. Kate Brown and health officials laid out Friday steps being taken to ramp up COVID-19 testing -- including tracking symptoms of 100,000 randomly chosen volunteers statewide -- in order to begin reopening Oregon's economy, starting with rural counties as soon as May 15.

At a news conference, the governor said two of the three goals for testing strategy involve making sure tests are available for anyone showing symptoms, as well as for people in group living such as nursing homes, prisons and farmworker housing.

But also, she said, "We need ongoing, widespread, randomized testing to know where the disease may be hiding and monitor its spread, including our at-risk populations, such as communities of color and tribes."

"We must assure Oregon has the right kind of testing in every region of the state," the governor said, noting that she held a virtual meeting earlier in the week with CEOs of six hospital symptoms around the state, including St. Charles. The statewide effort also will include partnerships with smaller, rural hospitals.

Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon's public health officer, noted that the state already is approaching the goal of being able to conduct 15,000 tests a week, which could increase in the future.

Brown announced a major partnership with Oregon Health & Science University for widespread random testing across the state, a program called "Be the Key," with a goal of 100,000 volunteers, with invitations sent out on May 11 by letter.

As an OHSU website explains, once enrolled, the volunteers will be followed for a year and be asked to monitor their temperature and other symptoms daily for a year. If they show symptoms, they will receive a home test kit, to detect the virus at its earliest state. Also, 10,000 randomly chosen participants will also get home test kits, for data about symptom-free infections, and to prevent wider spread.

"This program is a game-changer," Brown said. "It will give us a more accurate understanding of the true rate of infections across Oregon and to have ongoing precision monitoring of any new outbreaks."

If invited to take part, "we ask you to heed the call," the governor said. "We are all in this together, and we can all be the key to ending this disease."

An initial $6 million has been committed by the state to help fund the study, with OHSU and the governor seeking more funding through public and private partnerships.

The state also is building out an initial statewide team of 600 professionals for stepped-up contact tracing, to make sure Oregonians are made aware if they have been exposed to the disease, then provide them with information and support, including how to isolate from others, even if they don't feel ill.

"With this in place, we will be able to begin the process of safely reopening Oregon," Brown said. But she added that "make no mistake," social distancing -- now called physical distancing -- and other steps will need to continue until there's a vaccine or medication for the disease.

"We won't be able to reopen Oregon quickly or in one fell swoop," she said, but "much slower than anyone would like."

In some less-populated areas of the state that have seen no cases and few hospitalizations, "we hope some regions could begin the process of reopening as soon as May 15th." She said her staff is working with counties and business sectors to flesh out the criteria for reopening.

But she stressed that it won't be going back to the way things were, even as things reopen.

"Handshaking is probably out the window for a long time," Brown said. "It's just going to be a different type of normal, until we have a vaccine or a cure."

Sidelinger said, "This strategy is not without risk. Projections show the disease will increase as we open up. We need these measures in place to mitigate that."

As before, he added, "We want to see a slowing of the spread of this disease in the state."

As present, Sidelinger said, testing is recommended for anyone with a cough or shortness of breath or difficulty breathing and at least two of the other symptoms, including fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache and a fairly unique symptom: the loss of taste or smell.

As more people are tested with mild symptoms, the goal of capacity for 15,000 weekly tests also will go up, he said.

"We know that our infections will go up," Sidelinger said. "We hope to be to control that," through steps such as wearing face coverings as recommended "until we get through this."

As for the recent protests against the stay-home order and business closures, and a major rally planned Saturday in Salem, Brown said. "I understand Oregonians are frustrated and honestly scared (about) how they will pay their rent and put food on their tables.

"I would just ask folks as they exercise their First Amendment right to free speech that they maintain social distancing, wear masks and to be considerate of others," she said.

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News release from the governor's office:

Governor Kate Brown Announces COVID-19 Testing and Contact Tracing Plans for Reopening Oregon

 (Portland, OR)—Governor Kate Brown today introduced new plans for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, two foundational elements of her framework for reopening Oregon safely. Ensuring adequate testing capacity and contact tracing will allow Oregon’s health care system to effectively identify and treat new cases of COVID-19, trace contacts with new cases to identify those at risk for infection, and contain new outbreaks before community spread can occur.

“As we look to reopen Oregon, it’s critical we understand the prevalence of COVID-19 across the state and use science and data to ensure we can safely take steps forward," said Governor Brown. “A strategy of testing and tracing helps us identify who has the disease and who may be at risk of infection — knowledge that is incredibly powerful as we look to reopen."

Key elements of the testing plan include:

• Voluntary, widespread testing in partnership with OHSU
• Unified coordination between all hospital labs to optimize Oregon’s available testing capacity, acting as one statewide system which will allocate resources to meet the state’s testing needs in every region
• A focus on collecting data to serve at-risk communities

The plan also expands Oregon’s testing criteria, so that anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 can be tested within 48 to 72 hours. The plan sets the goal of being able to perform 30 tests per week for every 10,000 Oregonians.

Governor Brown’s contact tracing plan sets a goal of training at least 600 contact tracers, deployed statewide by county, with a focus on recruiting individuals with cultural and linguistic competence for the populations they serve.

A full media kit is available under the Reopening Oregon Documents tab on the Oregon Health Authority’s website with more information on both plans. Documents include:

• Summary of testing and contact tracing plans
• Summary tables of testing and contact tracing strategies
• Strategic testing plan
• Contact tracing plan
• Guidance for providers on testing
• Criteria for testing at Oregon State Public Health Laboratory
• Interim investigative guidelines

A full copy of Governor Brown’s remarks is available here.

Video of Governor Brown’s press availability is available here.