Governor Brown announced urgent new strategies to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon and to ensure that the healthcare system has the capacity to treat those who are at the highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19. These strategies include: Large gatherings: All gatherings of more than 250 people will be canceled statewide, effective immediately through April 8, 2020. A gathering is defined as any event in a space in which appropriate social distancing of a minimum of three feet cannot be maintained. This prohibition applies to concerts, festivals, conferences, worship services, sporting events, and any similar events. It does not apply to school attendance, businesses, grocery stores, or retail stores.

All gatherings of more than 250 people will be canceled statewide, effective immediately through April 8, 2020. A gathering is defined as any event in a space in which appropriate social distancing of a minimum of three feet cannot be maintained. This prohibition applies to concerts, festivals, conferences, worship services, sporting events, and any similar events. It does not apply to school attendance, businesses, grocery stores, or retail stores. Workplaces: Recommended implementation, to the extent possible, of distancing measures, including increasing the physical space between employees in offices and worksites; limitation of in-person meetings and travel; and staggering of work schedules where possible.

Recommended implementation, to the extent possible, of distancing measures, including increasing the physical space between employees in offices and worksites; limitation of in-person meetings and travel; and staggering of work schedules where possible. Schools: Notwithstanding previous guidance to keep schools open, all non-essential school-associated gatherings and group activities should be canceled — such as group parent meetings, field trips, and competitions.

Notwithstanding previous guidance to keep schools open, all non-essential school-associated gatherings and group activities should be canceled — such as group parent meetings, field trips, and competitions. Long-Term Care and Assisted Living: The strict visitation limitations announced this week by the Oregon Health Authority and Department of Human Services remain in place. Governor Brown was joined by OHA Director Allen, Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, OHA Health Officer Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Lead Health Officer for Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties Dr. Jennifer Vines, and other state and local officials this morning for the announcement. Watch this morning’s press conference. What is social distancing? You’re going to keep hearing the term “social distancing” as we work together to slow the spread of COVID-19. Put simply, it means keeping your distance from other people in order to keep from catching or spreading a virus. This could mean leaving several feet of personal space between you and other people as well as strategies like working from home, hosting meetings virtually instead of in person, and cancelling large events. Flattening the curve COVID-19 is in our communities, and now our primary goal is to slow its spread. Based on estimates from Washington State, Oregon’s 24 presumptive positive cases could mean that there are actually 150 to 250 cases in Oregon today. Without taking the types of immediate actions in the Governor’s executive order, these cases would double each week. By mid-May, we could have 75,000 cases. In public health, we’re working to “flatten the epidemic curve.” Too many cases too soon can create a spike that could overwhelm our health system, leaving some patients unable to receive needed care. By spreading the cases over a longer period of time, or flattening the curve, our health systems can better absorb them. By taking action together, we can flatten the curve and protect the health and safety of our friends, family, coworkers and neighbors. How and when can you get tested for COVID-19? The charge of the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory (OSPHL) is to support public health investigations. Commercial laboratories have come online and are now available to fulfill their role of expanding access to testing beyond those cases that qualify for testing at OSPHL. Several health systems are working to validate tests in their own labs, as well. Healthcare providers can order the test from commercial laboratories based on their clinical judgment. Public Health approval is not needed for this testing. Clinics and providers should work with their labs to establish protocols to order COVID-19 testing. Your primary care provider can work with you to determine whether you need to be seen or tested. If you need to be seen, make a plan with your health care provider about how to enter get care without exposing others. If you think you have symptoms, please call your primary health care provider first. Your primary health care provider will help you decide whether you should stay home or get medical care. If you need to get tested, they will work with you to create a plan to get care without exposing others. Taking this step will help reduce the spread of COVID-19. If you are having an emergency, you should call 911. See OHA’s fact sheet: What you should know about testing for COVID-19

If you’re a provider, see OHA’s provisional guidance for health systems regarding COVID-19 testing New cases Last night OHA announced Linn County’s first two presumptive positive cases of COVID-19. The new cases, involving two elderly men, brought Oregon’s total to 21 cases in eight counties as of 7 p.m. March 11. You can read more details in last night’s press release. Today, OHA added 3 new presumptive positive cases, bringing the state’s COVID-19 count to 24 as of 3 p.m. Clackamas County now has its first case, a man between the ages of 35 and 54 who was a close contact with a previous case. The new Washington County cases are both women older than 55 who had no known close contacts with confirmed cases and are considered community-spread cases. Cases have now been reported in 11 of Oregon’s 36 counties. Washington County now has a total of 10 cases. Read more details in today’s press release.