SALEM, Ore. – Amid a surge of new COVID-19 cases, Oregon Governor Kate Brown is asking for local leaders to take action. The statement comes in the wake of another mask mandate in Multnomah County that will take effect at the end of this week.
Governor Brown said she’s been speaking with county leaders and other elected officials from across the state. She explained those leaders asked her not to take statewide action and pushed for local control.
Brown said, “I am calling on local leaders to take action now to institute mask requirements. At this point in the pandemic, local leaders are in a unique position to help deliver the message to members of their communities about effective safety measures like vaccination and masks. But the fact remains, we have a finite number of staffed hospital beds in Oregon. If local leaders continue not to act and their regional hospitals exceed their capacity, it will impact hospitals all across the state. We will continue to explore statewide health measures necessary to stop the Delta variant from stretching Oregon hospitals beyond their full capacity.”
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