PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Health Authority on Thursday hosted a public hearing about a permanent indoor face mask rule.

But does “permanent” mean forever?  In this case, no.  It’s a legal term.  It means a rule can stay in place indefinitely, without a specific expiration date until it’s repealed.

Protesters faced off outside the OHA building in Northeast Portland and lit a receptacle on fire and burned masks.

The Oregon Health Authority started working on the permanent indoor mask rule in early December when cases of the Delta variant were still high.

The current mask mandate that started in August 2021 was a temporary rule with an expiration date in early February, but that was before the Omicron wave pushed cases to new records.

More about: