Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Oregon, Governor Kate Brown announced updates to the County Risk levels under the state’s public health framework. With hospitalizations rising above 300 people statewide, threatening to overwhelm doctors and nurses, 15 counties will move to the Extreme Risk, effective Friday, April 30 through Thursday, May 6. In addition, nine counties will be at High Risk, four at Moderate Risk, and eight at Lower Risk. A complete list of counties and their risk levels is available here. 

In an effort to speed up the return to normal business operations, county COVID-19 data will be evaluated weekly for at least the next three weeks. Any updates to county risk levels next week will be announced on Tuesday, May 4 and take effect on Friday, May 7. Counties that improve their COVID-19 metrics will have the opportunity to move to a lower risk level. Counties will remain in Extreme Risk for a maximum of three weeks. 

Under the Risk Level framework, counties move to (or remain in) Extreme Risk when they meet the county metrics for case rates and percent positivity, and Oregon meets statewide hospitalization metrics: COVID-19 positive patients occupying 300 hospital beds or more, and a 15% increase in the seven-day hospitalization average over the past week.  

The full press release includes information on efforts to aid businesses and other details. You can read it here.   

This article first appeared in the April 27, 2021 issue of Oregon Coronavirus Update.