All people residing in Oregon are ordered to stay home effective immediately or face the threat of a Class C Misdemeanor after an Executive Order from Governor Kate Brown on Monday.
“To slow the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon, to protect the health and lives of Oregonians, particularly those at highest risk, and to help avoid overwhelming local and regional healthcare capacity, I find that immediate implementation of additional measures is necessary,” Brown said in the Executive Order.
Read the full Executive Order here.
The order bans all non-essential social and recreational gatherings of any people outside the immediate household. Brown also orders all non-essential businesses to comply with social distancing practices or face closure by the state.
The order doesn’t close essential services, like grocery stores, pharmacies or restaurants that comply with the governor’s previous order to serve take-out options only.
Brown also cited the busy beaches and parks over the weekend as a problem for public health. In response, the Executive Order closes all private and public campgrounds and authorizes the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to close any facilities that cannot adhere to proper social distancing orders.
All workplaces that cannot move operations online or at home will be required to designate an officer to maintain social distancing policies.
This order comes three days after Kate Brown issued a confusing “stay home, stay healthy” public awareness campaign that urged residents to limit travel.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a developing story. Watch the Emerald’s coverage for the latest updates. This story will be updated with a comment from the University of Oregon if one is issued.
According to a press release from the governor’s office, the order requires:
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“All non-essential social and recreational gatherings of individuals are prohibited immediately, regardless of size, if a distance of at least six feet between individuals cannot be maintained. Gatherings of members of the same residential household are permitted.
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It closes and prohibits shopping at specific categories of retail businesses, for which close personal contact is difficult to avoid, such as arcades, barber shops, hair salons, gyms and fitness studios, skating rinks, theaters, and yoga studios.
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It requires businesses not closed by the order to implement social distancing policies in order to remain open, and requires workplaces to implement teleworking and work-at-home options when possible.
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It directs Oregonians to stay home whenever possible, while permitting activities outside the home when social distance is maintained.
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It closes playgrounds, sports courts, and skate parks, among other types of outdoor recreation facilities. Those that remain open are required to strictly adhere to social distancing guidelines.
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It outlines new guidelines for child care facilities, setting limits and rules on amounts of children allowed in care, and outlining that child care groups may not change participants.
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Failure to comply with the order will be considered an immediate danger to public health and subject to a Class C misdemeanor.”
According to the release, closed businesses include:
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“Shopping: Outdoor and indoor malls and retail complexes, although individual types of businesses not subject to the measures may stay open.
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Fitness: Gyms, sports and fitness centers, health clubs, and exercise studios
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Grooming: Barbershops, beauty and nail salons, and non-medical wellness spas
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Entertainment: Theaters, amusement parks, arcades, bowling alleys, and pool halls”