Oregon could consider relaxing social distancing measures by May 25, a week later than other West Coast states, according to first-of-their-kind projections from University of Washington researchers.

But those projections assumes that by then Oregon will have implemented a strategy to test, track and isolate coronavirus carriers and that a tiny number of active cases will remain – one in every 1 million residents.

The estimates being used by state health officials expect more than 2,000 infections will remain by May 22, far higher than one-in-a-million.

Here are more developments to know this weekend:

BUSINESS: Oregon businesses received 18,732 paycheck protection loans through the federal CARES Act. Those businesses will receive $3.8 billion, an average loan size of just over $200,000.

RESPONSE: Oregon’s legislative Emergency Board, which has the power to allocate state funds when the Legislature is not in session, is expected to consider allocating millions to the state’s coronavirus response next week.

Gov. Kate Brown issued an order Friday afternoon preventing creditors or debt collectors from seizing stimulus checks sent to Oregonians. Meanwhile, she has resisted fast-tracking a mental health hospital that advocates say is sorely needed amid the coronavirus outbreak. Multnomah County commissioners extended more protections to renters when they adopted the statewide eviction moratorium.

HELP: Coronavirus has made a free meal harder than ever to come by. But more Oregonians than ever need one. As people look for more ways to earn money, the bottle return agency turned its headquarters into an extra return center where people can exchange cans and bottles for cash.

CASES: Seventy Oregonians have now died from COVID-19 as the overall number of infections nears 1,800. The coronavirus has reached at least 10 group homes for developmentally disabled Oregonians, yet another vulnerable population facing the threat of coronavirus outbreaks.

EDUCATION: Many single parents are struggling to adjust to a new normal amid the coronavirus crisis as they balance their own jobs with caring for their children who are out of school. Divorced parents face similar challenges, while also having to navigate custody agreements with Oregon’s stay-at-home order in place.

YOUR STORIES:

Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive

Get the latest Oregon coronavirus updates via text