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Oregon Governor Lays Groundwork to Reopen State
Oregon Governor Kate Brown on Tuesday introduced an initial framework for Reopening Oregon that sets the stage for lifting the statewide closures and stay-at-home order designed to combat the coronavirus. The framework sets specific prerequisites based on science, which Oregon communities must meet to begin reopening, and also outlines the actions Oregon must take to move forward. The timing was not outlined for when public life and business would restart.
“We all want to get back to work and return to normal life as quickly as possible,” said Governor Brown. “But the truth is: the best path forward is a cautious one — a path that proceeds gradually, carefully, and incrementally. A path that relies on science and facts to determine each step forward.”
In order to begin reopening communities, Oregon must first slow the growth of COVID-19, as well as acquire adequate personal protective equipment to protect health care workers and first responders. Once those prerequisites are met, Oregon can begin to reopen by:
• Ramping up COVID-19 testing capacity in every region of Oregon
• Developing robust contact tracing systems to track and contain COVID-19 cases
• Establishing a quarantine and isolation program for new cases
“While we have to be careful, we also cannot stand still,” said Gov. Brown. “The shuttering of an economy at this scale has never happened before. Likewise, the reopening of a shuttered economy of this scale has never happened before.
Earlier in the week, the three state governors of Oregon, Washington and California said they forged an agreement on a shared vision for reopening their economies and controlling COVID-19 into the future.
In a joint statement the governors, said, “COVID-19 has preyed upon our interconnectedness. In the coming weeks, the West Coast will flip the script on COVID-19 – with our states acting in close coordination and collaboration to ensure the virus can never spread wildly in our communities. We are announcing that California, Oregon and Washington have agreed to work together on a shared approach for reopening our economies – one that identifies clear indicators for communities to restart public life and business.”
For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Dennis Kaiser
