Oregon will tighten restrictions on businesses and public activity in 10 additional counties starting Friday as the COVID-19 pandemic鈥檚 fourth wave shows no sign of slowing.
More than half of Oregon counties are now considered at high risk for COVID-19 transmission, Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday. That means restaurants, bars, gyms and retail stores in those counties will need to limit the number of people allowed indoors. People in those counties are also ordered to limit private social gatherings to eight people or less.
鈥淎s we face more contagious variants and increased spread of COVID-19 in our communities, the best way to protect yourself and others is to get vaccinated,鈥� Brown said in a news release. 鈥淯ntil you, your family, your friends, and your neighbors are fully vaccinated, it鈥檚 also critical that we all continue to wear masks, maintain physical distance, and stay home when sick.鈥�
Baker, Clatsop, Columbia, Crook, 老夫子传媒, Lane, Polk, Wasco, Washington and Yamhill counties are all now in the state鈥檚 high risk bucket 鈥� many of them jumping from 鈥渓ower risk鈥� the past two weeks.
Grant County, where the virus has surged as many residents , and Umatilla County both qualified as high risk but the state opted to put them on a caution lap for the next two weeks.
Several counties, including Clackamas and Deschutes, qualify for the state鈥檚 鈥渆xtreme risk鈥� category. However, the state has opted to not use that highest risk designation since sufficient hospital space remains available statewide.
Just two Oregon counties 鈥� Union and Curry 鈥� downgraded their risk levels. See the full list .
A little more than a month ago, as was virus transmission, even in the state鈥檚 most-populous counties. Businesses were gradually reopening and vaccinations proliferated, leading many, including Brown, to talk about 鈥�.鈥�
However, Brown and public health officials have also warned for weeks that if case counts go up, restrictions would be reinstated.
Oregon is now seeing . As of Tuesday, the state was reporting close to 700 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus infections a day.
Thousands more Oregonians are getting vaccinated each day. More than a quarter of Oregon adults 16 years and older are fully vaccinated and almost 40% have received at least one dose.
The new restrictions take effect Friday. The governor will announce new risk levels Tuesday, May 4.
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