What Oregonians can expect to see as COVID restrictions ease has now become clearer, with Gov. Kate Brown defining what will happen when the state hits her goal of 70% of adults 18 and older receiving at least one shot.

 

In an announcement Friday, the governor said that, once that mark is reached, mask mandates, capacity limits and social distancing requirements will all be lifted.  Additionally, she also said she expects all schools to return to five days per week, at full capacity, and in-person instruction in the fall.

 

We are moving closer to the governor’s goal. As of this morning, 66.8% of Oregonians 18 and older had received at least one shot.  Modeling suggests we could hit 70% around June 20, based on the current vaccine trends. You can see the county-by-county break down and progress towards Gov. Brown’s 70% goal here.

 

After the governor’s announcement, OBI immediately worked with Oregon OSHA to get more clarity on what that might mean for workplace rules and regulations. According to OSHA, when the 70% mark is reached, they will adopt temporary rules repealing the mask and distancing requirements. They will then begin permanent rulemaking to repeal or modify the other parts of the rules. OBI plans to continue working with the agency to make sure the rules are workable for businesses.

 

In the meantime, the state has not backed off from the requirement that businesses ask individuals to show their vaccine card before they are allowed to go without a mask. Oregon is the only state in the country with the vaccine card requirement. OBI has joined partners to ask Gov. Brown to shift to the Washington state model, which depends on the honor system.

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