Gov. Brown says re-opening Oregon's economy will be slow, cautious

PORTLAND, Ore. — Governor Kate Brown says re-opening Oregon’s economy depends on fewer cases and scientific data.

Gov. Brown discussed her plan for re-opening the Oregon economy in a press conference Tuesday afternoon. She says the re-opening will be slow and preached patience, in an effort to avoid a spike in cases that would overwhelm hospitals.

“We don’t control the timing, the virus controls the timing,” Gov. Brown said.

This announcement comes a day after she announced a pact with Washington state and California to re-open their economies together.

Current restrictions will remain in place until the state hits certain public health benchmarks, including a decline in the number of cases and accumulating an adequate amount of personal protective equipment.

Gov. Brown says the state also needs to increase testing capacity. Currently, 7,000 to 8,000 tests are being done every week in Oregon.

The state will also need to create a plan to track virus contact and develop an effective plan to quarantine the sick. She says the slow re-opening of the economy is not ideal, but necessary to protect the health of residents.

“The best path forward is a cautious one, one that goes gradually and carefully and relies on science to predict each step forward,” Gov. Brown said.

Gov. Brown says efforts to flatten the curve are working and a surge in cases can be avoided if we continue social distancing through mid-May. Currently there is no end date to the stay at home order in Oregon.

The governor says she will work with businesses affected by the shutdown, health experts and our neighboring states to decide how and when to open the economy back up.

She says a vaccine still could be months away.