MEDFORD, Ore. – Jackson Co. residents celebrate good news, as the county’s COVID-19 restrictions are loosening. The state announced the county by county breakdown of risk levels Tuesday for the next two-week period beginning Friday.
Jackson Co. is moving from Extreme to High, which means restrictions are slightly loosened.
Restaurants can open their doors for the first time in months for indoor dining at 25% capacity. Gyms, churches, and movie theaters are also allowed to increase indoor capacity.
“We get to see our customers, all my employees get to come back to work. Just the interaction with community action is going to be huge,” said Annette Clayton, Roosters Owner.
Clayton said they’ve been closed since the beginning of December. Only recently did they open up for takeout, but it isn’t something that will last.
“It’s either open or I’m going to lose everything. I’m not willing to lose everything,” said Clayton, “We’re just not really a take-out type of restaurant. No one wants to eat cold eggs or cold gravy or anything like that”.
Clayton is a Breast Cancer Survivor, so she’s taking COVID-19 regulations seriously.
“We go above and beyond of what the state’s recommending we do cleaning-wise. We bleach towels, but we also disinfect and we have gloves,” said Clayton.
Restaurants aren’t the only ones celebrating a move from Extreme to High-Risk Level. Gyms are also able to expand capacity from 6 total people to 25% capacity or 50 people total.
“It’s nice being able to allow more people to use the facility,” said Jim Kusnerik, Superior Athletic Clubs’s Managing Owner, “That’s really what I’m most excited about. It’s not full capacity, but it’s better than what it was”.
But what Kusnerik is looking forward to most doesn’t involve his business. He wants to eat in a restaurant.
“There’s only so many places that have outdoor seating. I prefer to sit inside, socially distant,” said Kusnerik.
Click HERE for the full breakdown of what risk levels mean.
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