Gov. Brown expands mask rules to kids; sets new venue limits, 10 p.m. bar/restaurant curfew
'Oregon, we ventured out onto the ice together - and that ice has begun to crack'
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- With COVID-19 numbers still rising, Gov. Kate Brown announced three changes Wednesday to state rules to curb the spread of the virus: expanding the face coverings requirement to children 5 and over, limiting large venues capacity and setting a 10 p.m. restaurant and bar curfew.
"Oregon, we ventured out onto the ice together -- and that ice has begun to crack," Brown said at a livestreamed news conference. "Before we fall through the ice, we need to take additional steps to protect ourselves and our communities."
Effective Friday:
- Face coverings are required for age 5 and up
- Restaurants and bars must close at 10 p.m. statewide, regardless of phase
- Face coverings are now required when exercising indoors, plus outdoors when you can’t physically distance
- Capacity for venues (e.g. restaurants and movie theaters) is reduced to 100 people indoors, including staff
As the state Department of Education issued new guidelines (see below) requiring mask use by students and staff, Dr. Dean Sidelinger, state epidemiologist , noted a South Korean study after schools reopened that found children 10 and over appear to spread COVID-19 as easily as adults, but younger children were less likely.
Brown said they are working to develop a "public health matrix" to decide when and how in-person instruction can resume.
However, Brown did not, as was rumored, close barber shops and salons, or roll back counties to Phase 1 or other limitations.
There are also ongoing discussions among West Coast states about travel restrictions, which Brown said must be "practical and pragmatic,"
"The focus will be on tourists coming from hot spots," she said.
Brown called it "critically important to keep supply chains intact," and not to restrict travel for employment purposes.
"We're talking with our neighbors, hoping to come up with a pragmatic solution in the next couple days," the governor said.
Reporter Rhea Panela will have more details of the governor's announcement, and the local reaction to it, starting at NewsChannel 21 Fox @ 4.
Gov. Kate Brown news release:
Governor Kate Brown Announces New Requirements for Face Coverings and Businesses to Stop Spread of COVID-19
Effective July 24, children 5 and up to wear face coverings
(Portland, OR) — In light of the continued spread of COVID-19 in Oregon––including a troubling rise in cases of community spread that cannot be traced and contained––Governor Kate Brown today announced new statewide health and safety measures, including new requirements for face coverings and businesses, effective Friday, July 24. Unless the spread of COVID-19 begins to slow, the Governor made clear that additional restrictions would be necessary.
“Oregon, we ventured out onto the ice together and that ice has begun to crack. Before we fall through the ice, we need to take steps to protect ourselves and our community,” Brown said. “So it’s time for further actions to slow the spread of this disease.
"Keep in mind, this is not an on or off switch. This disease is something that, for the time being, we must live with. However, when we see numbers rise, we must respond in turn. We must dim the lights. We must scale back, limit our interactions, take more precautions.”
Beginning Friday, July 24, the following new requirements will apply:
Face Coverings
- Face coverings will be required for all Oregonians ages five and up in indoor public spaces and outdoors when six feet of distance cannot be maintained.
- Face coverings will be required even in cases of physical exertion indoors, and outdoors when six feet of distance cannot be maintained.
Businesses
- The maximum indoor capacity limit is capped at 100 for all venues in Phase II counties and for restaurants and bars in Phase I or II counties.
- Restaurants and bars will be required to stop serving customers at 10:00 P.M statewide.
A recording of the governor’s press conference from Wednesday, July 22, is available here.
A full transcript of the governor’s remarks from Wednesday, July 22, is available here.
Updated guidance will be posted to coronavirus.oregon.gov.
Oregon Health Authority news release:
OHA Announces New Mask Requirements Website
Face coverings, or masks, are now required statewide for all adults and starting Friday, July 24, for all children 5 and up, in all indoor public spaces and outdoors when physical distancing isn’t possible.
To help Oregonians understand the requirement, the Oregon Health Authority has created a website resource that aims to be a clearinghouse of the latest information about face coverings and masks, from requirements to FAQs to tips about how to effectively wear them.
Controlling the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon requires all of us to do our part. Emerging evidence shows that wearing a mask can help protect you and the people you love from spreading and catching COVID-19. It’s an empowering way for each of us to protect our communities, our families and ourselves.
COVID-19 is spread by respiratory droplets when people cough, sneeze, talk, laugh or sing. Face coverings help contain those droplets. The virus can be spread by people who do not have symptoms and likely don’t know they are infected.
Properly worn, a face covering should cover a person’s nose and mouth and fit snugly against the sides of the face. Many types of face coverings can be used, including handmade cloth face coverings, scarves, bandanas, and more. They should be washed frequently after using.
COVID 19 is widespread in our state. All Oregonians can work together to flatten the curve and lower our risk of getting it or giving it to others by:
- Covering our faces when six feet of physical distancing is not possible;
- Avoiding large crowds and limit our social gatherings;
- Washing our hands;
- Staying home if we’re sick.
To learn more about face coverings and face masks visit healthoregon.org/masks.
Oregon Dept. of Education news release:
ODE Introduces New Face Covering Requirement
The updated 2020-21 school year guidance includes a new requirement that all students in grades kindergarten and above, as well as all staff, wear face coverings.
(Salem, Ore.) - As part of its planned guidance review process, the Oregon Department of Education released updates today to Ready Schools, Safe Learners, the 2020-21 school year guidance.
Ready Schools, Safe Learners, developed under the direction of Governor Brown and in collaboration with Oregon Health Authority, provides a framework for schools for the 2020-21 school year that prioritizes the health and safety of all students and staff and the families they return to each day.
New Face Covering Requirement
The updated guidance includes a new requirement that face coverings are now required for all students in grades kindergarten and up and all staff in K-12. Earlier versions of the guidance recommended, but did not require, face coverings for students in 6th-12th grade. Earlier guidance versions did not require staff to wear face coverings in all circumstances. The new requirement is in response to mounting evidence that face coverings are effective in mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
To help school districts meet this new requirement, ODE is distributing five million face coverings to school districts, for use by students and staff. The five million face coverings, donated by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and officially called KN95 Face Masks, will be distributed to Education Service Districts and then to school districts over the next few weeks. ODE defines these products as face coverings and not masks, as they are not considered medical-grade masks.
Beginning School
Based on local conditions and readiness, each school (including private schools) will select one of the following ways to begin school in the fall:
- Return to a school campus (On-Site learning),
- Return to school with a blend of on-site and comprehensive distance learning (Hybrid learning), or
- Return to school through Comprehensive Distance Learning (Off-Site learning).
Having face coverings alone do not fully prepare a school to return to in-person instruction. The supply of face coverings complements schools’ ongoing efforts to keep students and staff safe and healthy and is one of many factors in any school’s individual plan to return to in-person instruction as all schools have to meet a host of safety criteria before returning students to in-person instruction.
“This is a team effort. We’re thankful to FEMA, the Oregon Emergency Coordination Center (ECC), the Department of Administrative Services (DAS), the Salem-Keizer School District, and each of our 19 education service districts (ESDs) for their substantial support in acquiring, storing and distributing these face coverings. This effort will boost school districts’ efforts to keep their students and staff healthy and safe. This will help ensure that access to face coverings will not become a barrier to meeting the new requirement,” said ODE Director Colt Gill.
Oregon is continuing to align face covering guidance across all sectors and to regularly update the guidance to match current conditions. Additional face covering updates may be made prior to the start of the 2020-21 school year.
Other updates to the Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidance include:
- Clarified the roles of local public health authorities, school districts and state leaders in determining when school facilities need to close due to an outbreak of COVID-19. (Page 10)
- Increased clarity on how cohorting can limit the risk of spread of COVID-19. (Page 21)
How School Districts Decide On In-Person Instruction
The next regular update to the guidance is expected on August 11. However, ODE and OHA are currently collaborating on a set of guideposts, protocols and public health indicators that will help local schools and districts determine when to open to in-person instruction. Data about readiness of local healthcare systems and the state of local COVID-19 rates will help inform school decisions about when to move to On-Site or Hybrid models of instruction. We expect to release this information and expanded information on how to respond to outbreaks in schools prior to the August 11 release.
The Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidance places tremendous responsibility in the hands of local school and health officials with state oversight to protect the health of all Oregonians. Each version of guidance has been written specifically for those who are actively planning and implementing how learning will be supported in the coming school year—school leaders, superintendents, principals, business managers, with specific attention to teacher leaders and support staff.
