Oregon Gov. Kate Brown urged Oregonians during a press briefing on Wednesday to follow her mandatory policy starting July 1 requiring people to wear masks in indoor public spaces. Individuals who violate her state-wide order can be penalized with a Class-C misdemeanor — 30 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,250, or both, according to Oregon law.
“Oregon, you have a choice, a choice that only you can make,” Brown said. “What happens next is up to you.”
Brown’s state-wide mandate on masks came as an uptick in cases and an increasing rate of infection hit the state, 100 days since Brown’s “stay home, save lives” order began.
“Oregon has been a leader so far in this pandemic,” Brown said. However, she said, “now we find ourselves at a new crossroads.”
If the rate of infection continues to grow, Oregon could hit 10,000 reported cases within a week, according to Brown. Her mandatory mask policy aimed to reduce that number.
It will apply to “all indoor places where the public may go,” including shops, lobbies, elevators, restrooms, gyms and churches. They will also be required in restaurants, except when eating or drinking. There will also be an exception for exercising outdoors, as long as people can maintain a six-foot distance between each other.
Additionally, those with medical conditions are exempt, as well as children under 12 years old. Regardless, she said, masks are still recommended.
This mandate is “enforceable by law at both a business and an individual level,” Brown said. Despite this, and the fact that violators can be met with a Class-C misdemeanor, Brown said she did not want local police issuing tickets. Instead, businesses will enforce the order and she encouraged owners to “step up and help ensure the public and their employees are protected.”
She spoke little about how businesses could enforce the policy if patrons refuse to wear a mask. She said that business owners should try to de-escalate the situation and simply ask patrons to wear a face mask. Brown told patrons to use common sense and respect the health and wellness of business owners and employees.
Oregon experienced a recent outbreak at a Lake Oswego child care center, according to Willamette Week reporting. When asked about whether schools will be opening, Brown said that “your actions will determine whether our businesses across the state can stay open. And your actions will determine, frankly, whether we can open schools in the fall.”
The Oregon Health Authority will now include names and case counts of child care facilities that enroll 30 or more children and have five or more cases in its weekly report.
According to the OHA, there were 281 reported new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 in the state today – the highest daily case count in Oregon since the first recorded infection. The state total stands at 8,391 cases.
