Oregon's COVID-19 state of emergency extended

SALEM, Ore. – The COVID-19 state of emergency in Oregon has officially been extended for another 60 days.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s declaration is the legal basis on which she’s made numerous executive orders and issued guidance to the Oregon Health Authority. She released the following statement regarding the extension on October 27, 2020:

“As early as January of this year, the Oregon Health Authority began its COVID-19 preparedness efforts as cases spread overseas. Since then, more than 600 Oregonians and over 200,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 — and last week, we set a daily record with 550 new cases.

“Extending the COVID-19 state of emergency is not something I do lightly, but we know all too well that not taking action would mean an even greater loss of life. The second wave of COVID-19 has arrived in the United States, and this time it is hitting all of our communities.

“My goal is to keep Oregon on track to open more schools for in-person instruction for our students — and to continue to reopen, and keep open, our businesses, communities, and economies. Oregon is not an island. Without safety precautions in place, we could quickly see our case counts spike as well.

“We must continue to work together and follow the simple steps that have kept us safe throughout this pandemic: washing our hands, wearing face coverings, watching our physical distance, staying home when sick, and avoiding social get-togethers, especially indoors.”

The governor’s office said Brown will continue to evaluate her emergency orders every 60 days. The current extension expires on January 2, 2021