PORTLAND, Oregon. (AP) – Governor Kate Brown announced on Tuesday that some indoor activities, such as gyms and cinemas, in Oregon may reopen with limited capacity starting on Friday.
However, the new modifications do not apply to indoor meals, which have been banned for more than two months in counties labeled extreme risk due to the coronavirus pandemic, including Multnomah – the state’s most populous county and home to Portland.
“Science has shown us that outdoor activities are safer than indoor activities with regard to the spread of COVID 19, which is why we have a clear orientation between indoor and outdoor activities,” said Governor Brown in a statement. communicated on Tuesday. “We have seen in recent weeks that Oregon residents have largely met risk levels to the point that we have not seen an increase in hospitalizations that could compromise hospital capacity. This means that we can make these adjustments. “
This archival photo shows customers at Prost, a bar in North Portland, as they drank together for the past few hours before a state-mandated bar and restaurant took effect on March 16, 2020 in Portland, Oregon.
Jonathan Levinson / OPB
The new modifications allow a maximum of six people indoors in installations over 500 square feet. The company must follow the cleaning protocols and people will be forced to distance themselves socially and wear a mask. For installations under 500 square feet, the modified orientation allows for individual customer experiences, such as personal training.
In addition, the governor announced updates to the county’s risk levels.
As of Friday, Grant County will move to the moderate risk level and Tillamook and Curry Counties to the lower risk level. Twenty-five counties remain at extreme risk.
“Most of the state remains in the extreme risk category,” Brown. said “This is an important reminder for all Oregon residents to continue to do their part, complying with current health and safety guidelines.”
The announcement was met with criticism from the Oregon restaurant industry, as many cafes and snack bars remain limited to delivery service or al fresco dining. The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association noted that the recent rise in unemployment in the state has been driven by the loss of jobs in the service sector, as restaurants struggle to deal with restrictions designed to limit the spread of COVID-19.
“It doesn’t make sense to me how I can have all this space to safely spread my customers in my restaurant and keep the government telling me that I can’t use it when I know I can do it safely,” said Treva Gambs, owner of Gamberetti Italian Restaurants in Salem and Albany, in an SLRO statement released Tuesday after the governor’s announcement.
The Oregon Health Authority reviews and adjusts the county’s risk levels every two weeks. The next announcement will be made on February 9th.
OPB contributed additional reporting to this story from the Associated Press.