Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington County will not move to Phase 2 of Oregon’s COVID-19 reopening plan this week.
Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury explained, “We want to move cautiously toward reopening to avoid taking one step forward only to be forced to take two steps back. Phase II is a big step toward business as usual, and the virus is not sufficiently contained to allow us to take that step.” Moreover, since Governor Brown has linked together Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington, this means that none of these counties will be applying to Phase 2 this week since the prerequisites have not been met.
To recap, after 21 days in Phase 1, counties who meet specific prerequisites are allowed to enter into Phase 2 of Oregon’s reopening plan. Phase 2 includes the opening of recreational sports; pools; venues like movie theaters, bowling alleys, and arcades; some additional in-office work; bars and restaurants are able to stay open until midnight; social, civic, and faith-based gatherings can meet in larger, physically-distanced groups.
With Phase 2, individuals still need to take into account public health guidelines, physical distancing, gathering size limits, and sanitization guidelines.
Cascade will continue to keep you updated. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.