Just last week, on Monday, April 27th, Governor Kate Brown announced updates to county risk levels under the state’s risk management matrix due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Oregon. Two days later, on Thursday, April 29th, Governor Brown extended her declared state of emergency for COVID-19 for 60 days, until June 28th, 2021, unless earlier rescinded or extended.
On the heels of Oregon reportedly recording the fastest-growing COVID-19 infection rate in the nation last week, designating 24 of 36 Oregon counties ‘Extreme Risk’ or ‘High Risk’, and having an order to restrain Governor Brown’s emergency order filed in federal court Tuesday, Governor Brown made what seemed a total reversal Tuesday announcing changes once again to the state’s risk management matrix.
Governor Kate Brown announced the statewide seven-day average increase for hospitalized COVID-19 positive patients had dropped below 15 percent after stating just 5 days ago that “We are in the middle of the fourth surge of COVID-19 in Oregon, driven by more contagious variants of the disease.” and that “We must stop hospitalizations from spiking so we can save lives, help our nurses and doctors weather this surge, and ensure no Oregonian is denied vital health care.” thus extending her ‘State of Emergency’. Now, 5 days later, almost miraculously, “Oregon no longer meets the statewide metrics for the Extreme Risk level.”
Effective Friday, May 7, 15 counties will return to High Risk. In total, 24 counties will be at High Risk, four at Moderate Risk, and eight at Lower Risk.
“Let me be clear said Governor Brown, across the state, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are still high, and Oregon is not out of the woods yet. However, we have met the hospitalization metric established by our health experts for counties to return to High Risk. From the beginning, I have said that returning counties to the Extreme Risk level was about preserving hospital capacity and saving lives. With our statewide hospitalization rate stabilizing, our hospitals should have the capacity to continue treating patients with severe cases of COVID-19 and other serious medical conditions in the coming weeks.
“Based on today’s numbers, I am keeping my commitment to Oregonians. Beginning Friday, all counties in Extreme Risk will return to High Risk. With Oregonians continuing to get vaccinated each week, my expectation is that we will not return to Extreme Risk again for the duration of this pandemic.
“I know this will bring relief to many across the state. However, the lifting of Extreme Risk health and safety measures comes with great personal responsibility for us all. If Oregonians continue to keep up their guard, follow High Risk health and safety measures, and get vaccinated as fast as possible, we should see our COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates decline. I’d like to thank Oregonians for taking this surge seriously for the last several weeks. It’s because of you that our hospitals have not been overwhelmed.
“Today, we also received the welcome news from the Biden-Harris administration that they will be reallocating unused vaccines to the states that need them. Oregon will ask for the maximum allowed, which will help us to get shots in arms faster. Vaccinations are still our best path to protecting our loved ones, and staying on track to fully reopen our economy by the end of June.”
