Updated Risk Levels Take Effect January 1
Five counties improve from Extreme to High Risk
Governor Kate Brown recently announced updates to county risk levels under the state’s new public health framework to reduce transmission and protect Oregonians from COVID-19. The framework uses four different risk levels for counties based on COVID-19 spread — Extreme Risk, High Risk, Moderate Risk and Lower Risk — and assigns health and safety measures for each level.
Effective January 1 through January 14, there will be 24 counties in the Extreme Risk level, five at High Risk, zero at Moderate Risk, and 7 at Lower Risk. A complete list of counties and their associated risk levels is available here. High Risk is the first level in which some businesses and facilities can resume offering indoor services with health and safety measures and capacity limits in place.
“After weeks of diligent work by local leaders and public health officials to implement health and safety measures in their communities, this week’s county data is a welcome sign that we are making progress in stopping the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon,” said Governor Brown. “The county risk level framework is meant to put us on track to reopen our schools, businesses, and communities. It is not easy. Oregon families and businesses have made incredible sacrifices. If we work together, we will see more counties begin to lower their COVID-19 risk levels. If communities let down their guard too early, we could see our hard-won progress unravel just as quickly.
“Every week, more Oregonians are being vaccinated against this deadly disease. But, until vaccines are widely available with high participation rates, the surest way to open our communities is to continue practicing the measures we know are effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 — wear your mask, keep physical distance from others, avoid gatherings, wash your hands often and stay home when you are sick.”
The Oregon Health Authority will examine and publish county data weekly. County risk levels will be reassigned every two weeks. The first week’s data will provide a “warning week” to prepare counties for potential risk level changes. The next assignment of risk levels will take effect January 15.
Updates to Warning Week data and county risk levels will be posted to coronavirus.oregon.gov.
