Due to a sudden steep upturn in the number of COVID-19 cases and related hospitalizations, Multnomah County (Portland’s county) and 14 other Oregon counties recently moved into the COVID-19 “Extreme Risk” category. This classification went into effect on April 30, and will last at least until May 6.
In counties under “Extreme Risk” indoor dining is prohibited, but outdoor dining is permitted (with appropriated physical distancing in place). Other restrictions including limiting retail space customers to 50% capacity, and severe restrictions on the number of people who may use a gym at any given time.
With Oregon’s vaccination campaign in full swing, 32% of the population has been fully vaccinated, and 45% have received at least one dose (as of May 3, 2021). As this trend continues and greater numbers of Oregon residents are vaccinated, it expected that counties’ risk levels will fall accordingly. Hopefully, this will be the last “Extreme Risk” period we’ll have to endure before a return to quasi-normality.
Vaccines are now widely available, and we encourage everyone who has not yet received their vaccine to research how to get vaccinated and make arrangement to do so!
