Effective July 24, children 5 and up to wear face coverings.

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,” said Governor Kate Brown. “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 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.

MCHD case investigators are still tracing multiple COVID-19 cases to social gatherings, where people have not followed the guidance to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. Please share the information below and keep your social activities as safe as possible.

• Statewide, everyone in Oregon needs to follow these rules:
  • No group of 10 or more individuals are to socially gather indoors
  • Groups of less than 10 individuals gathering indoors are to wear face coverings, observe social distancing guidelines and keep six feet between individuals.
  • Groups of less than 25 individuals gathering outdoors are to wear face coverings, observe social distancing guidelines and keep six feet between individuals.

• Countywide, everyone needs to follow the additional guidance from the current Malheur County resolution:
  • No group of 25 or more individuals are to gather outdoors.

The resolution recommends measures for local social gatherings when individuals are from different households. Even if the people you are gathering with are extended family, coworkers, neighbors, or close friends, you should ensure the group is kept to 10 or less indoors, 25 or less outdoors, and that everyone over age 12 wears a face covering if 6 foot physical distance is not maintained at all times.

It is very important that we slow the spread of COVID-19 to save lives, reduce outbreaks, keep businesses open, and get kids back to school in person. None of this could happen if our rates of COVID-19 keep increasing.

Malheur County is now ranked #2 in the state for the rate of cases.

We reported fewer COVID-19 cases over the last several days and while that is worth celebrating, the positive rate remained high (16%) because the total number of tests reported was also relatively low. Last week saw another record-breaking day for new COVID-19 cases in Oregon and Idaho surpassed the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Oregon, with only 40% of the population of Oregon.

The continuing increase in cases around Malheur County is a reminder of just how important wearing a face covering, frequent hand washing, physical distancing and staying home when you’re sick or under isolation or quarantine continue to be.

COVID-19 is still in our communities, and we each have a role to play in reducing its spread. As you consider your weekend plans, here are four questions you can ask yourself to assess how risky they are.

The Malheur County Health Department (MCHD) is saddened to announce the fourth, fifth and sixth deaths in Malheur County associated with COVID-19 in the last week. Our hearts go out to the family and friends who have lost a loved one.

The fourth death occurred in a woman in her 50s. She tested positive previous to death and passed away at home on July 13^th.

The fifth death occurred in a male in his 90s. He tested positive previous to death and passed away at home on July 15^th.

The sixth death occurred in a male in his 50s. He tested positive previous to death and passed away on July 16^th in a Boise area hospital.

Case investigators are diligently working on these cases and the drastic surge in cases recently. MCHD urges everyone to take precautions seriously to protect the spread of COVID-19 to the most vulnerable in our community. MCHD will no longer publish press releases for each death, but will continue to update all COVID-19 tests, case demographics, hospitalizations, and deaths daily at https://malheurhealth.org/covid-19-cases/.

Today, the Malheur County Court approved a resolution to protect Malheur County citizens and mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 emergency through temporary social gathering measures restricting the size of local social gatherings, effective immediately.

The resolution recommends the following measures for local social gatherings when individuals are from different households:

• No group of 10 or more individuals are to socially gather indoors (current statewide ban)
• No group of 25 or more individuals are to gather outdoors.
• Groups of less than 10 individuals gathering indoors are to wear face coverings, observe social distancing guidelines and keep six feet between individuals.
• Groups of less than 25 individuals gathering outdoors are to wear face coverings, observe social distancing guidelines and keep six feet between individuals.
• These temporary measures for local social gatherings include civic, cultural and private social gatherings and events, such as large back-yard weddings, private rodeo clubs, parties, book clubs and non-profit events.
• The limitations do not apply or change the State Phase 2 guidance with respect to businesses and churches. Read the resolution for more detailed information.

Also, today, the Malheur County Court approved a proclamation: Together, We Can Keep Malheur County Open.

The proclamation requests our communities and citizens to unite and commit to pandemic guiding principles so that “Together, We Can Keep Malheur County Open” during the COVID-19 emergency.

Guiding principles:

• We endorse a message campaign led by the Malheur County Health and Environmental Heath Departments as well as the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office – Emergency Management Division – illustrating and reminding our community members what they must do to keep Malheur County businesses open and to move forward.
• We are committed to:
  • Physical Distancing
  • Protecting Others
  • Keeping Clean
  • Read more details in the proclamation.

Read the Oregon Health Authority COVID-19 Weekly Report released July 15th. The COVID-19 Weekly Report data is finalized every Sunday at 11 p.m. PDT, and the report is published each Wednesday.

Malheur County has four outbreaks meeting the threshold for reporting:

• Brookdale Assisted Living: 32 cases, 1 death
• Snake River Correctional Institution, 117 cases
• The Kraft Heinz Company, 6 cases
• Oregon Child Development, 5 cases

The statewide positive testing rate during the time the data was collected for the Weekly Report (July 6–July 12), was 6.2%, meaning 6.2% of all COVID-19 tests reported in the state were positive. During the same period, the positive testing rate in Malheur County was 33.6% (180 positive tests, 356 negative tests, 536 total tests).

It is essential that people in Malheur County take this risk very seriously and do their part to reduce outbreaks by staying home when sick or during isolation or quarantine. Wash your hands. Wear a face covering. Keep your distance.