‘The virus sets the timeline,’ Oregon Health Authority director tells Redmond School Board

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Redmond School Board asked for some answers last week from Gov. Kate Brown and state health officials about when local school boards would regain control over such COVID-19 issues as mask mandates. They got an answer this week, but likely not the one they were looking for.

In a letter sent Wednesday to the school board members, Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen said the approval of vaccines for younger children is a big step forward, but will take time implement – and in the meantime, masks are a key layer of protection to curb outbreaks that would cause more illness, quarantines and upheaval.

“We understand the frustrations you and your community have about the ongoing pandemic, and we share your eagerness to curb the spread of the virus so we can return to normalcy, Allen wrote.

After describing the current situation Allen said masks are “one of the layers of protection employed to keep kids in school by reducing the risk of exposure and transmission of COVID-19.”

“The goal is to return to local decision-making,” he wrote. “However, the virus sets the timeline.”

Here's the full letter;