COVID-19 levels ‘high’ across most of Oregon, feds say urging masks indoors
Most Oregonians should wear masks to protect themselves and others from the coronavirus, according to federal health guidance, with 24 counties now seeing “high” levels of COVID-19, as determined by occupied hospital beds, admissions and total cases.
At that risk level, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges everyone to wear masks in indoor public places and get tested for COVID-19 if they experience symptoms.
Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties are among those the CDC now says have high levels of COVID-19. The state’s other 12 counties are seeing medium community levels of COVID-19.
The Oregon Health Authority recommends people in the high-level counties wear masks regardless of vaccination status, but does not plan to reinstate a public indoor mask mandate, a spokesperson for the agency said in an email.
“The indoor masking requirements were lifted because the impact of COVID-19 has decreased in Oregon in several ways, including hospitalizations with COVID-19,” Rudy Owens said.
Washington County also supports federal health officials’ mask recommendations, a spokesperson for the county said, but, like OHA, would not be requiring masks. Multnomah and Clackamas counties did not immediately say whether they would require masks, though such a move would be politically unpopular and a dramatic departure from health officials’ comparatively hands-off approach since the end of the first omicron wave.
The health authority urged Oregonians anticipating the holiday weekend to remember the virus is widespread.
“Consider spending more time outside with friends and family over indoor activities,” the Oregon Health Authority said in a tweet Thursday evening. “If you’re indoors, wearing the highest quality mask you can find offers extra protection.”
When federal health officials last updated county COVID-19 levels one week ago, only nine Oregon counties had high community levels, and nine others had low levels.
Identified infections are averaging about 1,600 new cases a day. Nearly 420 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday, and more than 14% of all reported COVID-19 tests in Oregon reported that day came back positive, according to state data.
“We recommend that all Oregonians stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters and get tested if they have symptoms,” Owens said. “People who are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease are also recommended to take additional precautions if needed.”
— Fedor Zarkhin
