Central Oregon counties to stay in state’s ‘Extreme Risk’ category into mid-January

Five other counties improve from Extreme to Higher Risk level

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Gov. Kate Brown announced updates Tuesday to county risk levels under the state's new public health framework to reduce transmission and protect Oregonians from COVID-19.

The framework uses four different risk levels for counties based on COVID-19 spread — Extreme Risk, High Risk, Moderate Risk, and Lower Risk — and assigns health and safety measures for each level.

Effective Jan. 1-14, there will be 24 counties in the Extreme Risk level (including Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson), five at High Risk, none at Moderate Risk and seven at Lower Risk.

A complete list of counties and their associated risk levels is available here.

High Risk is the first level in which some businesses and facilities can resume offering indoor services with health and safety measures and capacity limits in place, the governor said.

“After weeks of diligent work by local leaders and public health officials to implement health and safety measures in their communities, this week’s county data is a welcome sign that we are making progress in stopping the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon,” Brown said in a news release.

“The county risk level framework is meant to put us on track to reopen our schools, businesses and communities. It is not easy. Oregon families and businesses have made incredible sacrifices. If we work together, we will see more counties begin to lower their COVID-19 risk levels. If communities let down their guard too early, we could see our hard-won progress unravel just as quickly. 

“Every week, more Oregonians are being vaccinated against this deadly disease. But until vaccines are widely available with high participation rates, the surest way to open our communities is to continue practicing the measures we know are effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 — wear your mask, keep physical distance from others, avoid gatherings, wash your hands often, and stay home when you are sick."

The Oregon Health Authority will examine and publish county data weekly. County risk levels will be reassigned every two weeks. The first week's data will provide a "warning week" to prepare counties for potential risk level changes. The next assignment of risk levels will take effect Jan. 15. 

Updates to Warning Week data and county risk levels will be posted to coronavirus.oregon.gov.