MEDFORD, Ore. — “I think we have every reason to believe the governor will approve our reopening,” said Dr. Jim Shames, Jackson County health officer.
The countdown begins as several southern Oregon counties wait to get Governor Kate Brown’s approval to reopen Friday.
So, what exactly will reopening look like?
According to the governor’s reopening plan, restaurants and bars will be able to provide sit-down service with physical distancing and employees will need to wear face coverings.
Customers are encouraged to do so, when they’re not eating.
Barbershops, salons, and gyms, all will have increased physical distancing and sanitation.
Salons will serve customers by appointment only and maintain records for contact tracing.
Retailers will also open their doors with physical distancing encouraged by signs, one-way flow in aisles, and tape markings to delineate space.
“Maintaining appropriate distancing, wearing face coverings certainly when you’re indoors, [and] hand washing frequently,” said Dr. Shames.
Dr. Shames says the practices we’ve adopted these past few months will be more important than ever.
That includes staying home if you’re a high risk group and limiting non-essential travel.
“All of this is because we now know this disease has a significant number of people who have no symptoms or have such mild symptoms they aren’t even noticing them and are highly infectious during that period of time,” he said.
If approved to reopen, gatherings will increase to 25 people or less with adequate social distancing.
Live sporting events with audiences, festivals, and concerts, will all be prohibited.
Many aspects of this ’new normal’ to likely continue until a vaccine is available.
“This isn’t business as usual. This is an experiment and I think it’s important and I approve of it, but try to be considerate and thoughtful as you start increasing the amount of commerce that you engage in,” said Dr. Shames.
Any counties given approval to reopen Friday will be monitored by the state for 21 days.
If everything looks good, the county will move on to ‘phase 2.’
Details of phase 2 haven’t been announced, but Governor Brown says it could include somewhat larger gatherings and more work in office settings.
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