31 Oregon Counties Now Eligible To Apply For Phase 2 Of State’s Reopening Plan

SALEM, Ore.  – Phase 2 of Oregon’s reopening plan begins Friday.

Governor Kate Brown says 31 of the state’s 36 counties are eligible to apply to move forward.

Those approved will be announced Thursday, with Friday being the first day of looser restrictions.

Here are the details from the Governor’s Office:

Criteria for entering Phase 2

Phase 2 continues the county-by-county approach to reopening. Counties can be approved to enter Phase 2 only if they have been in Phase 1 for at least 21 days and are succeeding in controlling the spread of the virus. Counties approved to enter Phase 2 must continue to meet Phase 1 metrics, including:

• Declining disease prevalence
• Having an adequate number of contact tracers, including people reflective of the communities they serve
• Establishing adequate testing, isolation and quarantine facilities, sufficient hospital surge capacity, and sufficient personal protective equipment supply

Counties must also meet additional prerequisites, including:

• Demonstrating that they are able to trace new cases within 24 hours
• As counties see new cases, they must be able to identify where they are coming from at least 70% of the time
• Counties cannot be experiencing a significant increase in cases

New Guidance for Phase 2

Counties that enter Phase 2 will be able to continue with the reopening process, following updated health and safety guidance:

• Gathering limits will be raised to 50 people indoors, and 100 people outdoors.
• Indoor and outdoor venues, including theaters and churches, with 6 feet of physical distancing and other measures in place, can reach a COVID-19 occupancy limit of up to 250.
• Offices can begin reopening and employees can return to workplaces with physical distancing and other measures in place, though remote work is still strongly recommended whenever possible.
• Increased travel will be allowed throughout Oregon, though staying local is still recommended to prevent overloading county health systems.
• Restaurants and bars will have curfews extended to midnight.
• Pools and sports courts will be allowed to reopen under new guidance.
• Indoor and outdoor activities such as bowling, batting cages, and mini golf, will be allowed to reopen under new guidance.
• Recreational sports can resume in a limited form, under strict physical distancing guidance.

Multnomah County is the only county in the state not currently in Phase 1.