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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Over the last couple of weeks, a number of us have been sounding the alarm bells about the dire situation Oregon is facing due to the pandemic’s growth. Last week alone, the Oregon Health Authority registered a record 42 deaths from COVID-19, and daily case counts have continued to spike.
Today, in response to skyrocketing case counts across the state, Governor Brown announced a Two-Week Freeze in order to stop the spread of COVID-19 and preserve our state’s hospital capacity. I expect other states will go a similar direction soon, like New Mexico did today.
The Freeze goes into effect statewide this coming Wednesday, November 18 and will last through Wednesday, December 2.
After two weeks, the Governor and public health officials will evaluate whether the Freeze needs to be extended in certain counties. Some counties where the virus is more prevalent will have to go longer. The Governor already announced today that Multnomah County will be in a Four-Week Freeze, meaning they will be evaluated by Wednesday, December 16. As The Oregonian reports here, Multnomah County’s per capita case rate outpaced those of any other West Coast county that is home to a major city.
Here is what the Freeze means:
- Limit social get-togethers (indoors and outdoors) to no more than six people, total, from no more than two households.
- Limit faith-based organizations to a maximum of 25 people indoors or 50 people outdoors.
- Limit eating and drinking establishments to take-out and delivery only.
- Close gyms and fitness organizations.
- Close indoor recreational facilities, museums, indoor entertainment activities, and indoor pools and sports courts.
- Close zoos, gardens, aquariums, outdoor entertainment activities, and outdoor pools.
- Limit grocery stores and pharmacies to a maximum of 75% capacity and encourage curbside pickup.
- Limit retail stores and retail malls (indoor and outdoor) to a maximum of 75% capacity and encourage curbside pickup.
- Close venues that host or facilitate indoor or outdoor events.
- Require all businesses to mandate work-from-home to the greatest extent possible and close offices to the public.
- Prohibit indoor visiting in long-term care facilities (outdoor visitation permitted for supporting quality of life).
The Two-Week Freeze does not change current health and safety protocols for personal services (such as barber shops, hair salons, and non-medical massage therapy), congregate homeless sheltering, outdoor recreation and sports, youth programs, childcare, K-12 schools, K-12 sports currently allowed, current Division 1 and professional athletics exemptions, and higher education — all of which can continue operating under previous guidance issued by the Oregon Health Authority.
Of course, more restrictions could come if we’re not able to get a better handle on this virus in the coming weeks.
This obviously will have a major impact for Thanksgiving. I know that many folks have held off on seeing their close family members with the hope that we’d be past this pandemic by now. I know we’re all sad that we’re not there yet.
Please do not bring more than one household together in one space. Doing so will cost lives.
It wasn’t long ago that 500 cases per day was a shocking figure. Now, we’ve hit more than 1,000 in consecutive days. If we don’t follow this guidance, we could be looking at thousands of more cases per week. COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased nearly 50% in the past week and over 100% in the past month. And, as an example of shrinking hospital capacity, 90% of intensive care unit beds at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) are already full, as Willamette Week reported here.
We need to do this for each other and especially for our health care workers, who are exhausted and grieving. During today’s press conference when Governor Brown announced the new restrictions, Dr. Esther Choo noted that we have an opportunity right now to save hundreds or thousands of Oregon families from any more painful last goodbyes.
“We’re asking you to be our heroes and listen to our call for help again,” she said.
Once again, please stay home and save lives.
In addition to the Two-Week Freeze, Governor Brown joined with California Governor Gavin Newsom and Washington Governor Jay Inslee to jointly issue travel advisories which urge against non-essential out-of-state travel, ask people to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country, and encourage residents to stay local. In this case, “essential travel” is defined as travel for work and study, critical infrastructure support, economic services and supply chains, health, immediate medical care, and safety and security.
While we’re at a critical point in our fight against this virus, we shouldn’t lose sight of just how much worse things are in other parts of the country. This data compilation from NPR here highlights this, making it clear that you could very well be entering more dangerous spaces if you travel outside the state. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more information on travel risks here.
If you do need to travel for essential reasons, here is what it means to self-quarantine:
- The Oregon Health Authority reported 1,076 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the statewide total of new and presumptive cases to 54,937. The OHA also reported seven more deaths, including a 38-year-old Marion County man without underlying health conditions, meaning 753 Oregonians have died of the coronavirus. You can click the images below for links to interactive data tables about coronavirus in Oregon.
To read past newsletters, you can go to this link. For up to date information, please check this link to the Oregon Health Authority where regular updates are posted: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/News-Releases.aspx
Please email me at Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov if you have specific concerns that have not been addressed by the OHA. Our office will do all we can to help and protect all Oregonians.
Thank you for reading! We will get through this together.
Best,
Tina Kotek
State Representative
House District 44
Speaker of the House
email: Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1200
address: 900 Court St NE, H-269, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/kotek
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