Gov. Brown: Oregon will reopen June 30, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination rate – KDRV

SALEM, Ore. The state of Oregon will shed its coronavirus restrictions on Wednesday, June 30 or whenever it hits the 70 percent adult vaccination goal, whichever comes first. Governor Kate Brown revealed in a press briefing on Friday morning.

Governor Brown announced back in May that the state would reopen once 70 percent of adults received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. In spite of a lottery incentive campaign revealed less than two weeks later, the statewide rate of daily doses administered has been dropping since mid-May, with only a slight uptick at the beginning of June.

As a result, Oregon has continued to inch toward Brown's goal, but with no guarantee that it would be achieved by the end of June. As of Friday morning, the statewide rate stood at 68.9 percent.

In a statement, Brown's office said that she would issue a new executive order, rescinding the previous order that codified the statewide mask mandate and the county risk level system in place since late 2020.This would effectively end physical distancing requirements, capacity limits, mandated closing times for businesses, and other measures.

Brown signed the new order in her live press briefing on Friday.

"I'm proud of our collective efforts to vaccinate more than 2.3 million Oregonians. It is because of this success that we can move Oregon forward and into the next chapter of this pandemic. We are ready," said Governor Brown.

Some mask requirements could stay in place for specialized settings following current CDC guidance, including for airports, public transit, and health care settings.

Brown's new "recovery order" is set to last until December 31 of 2021 unless terminated earlier. Despite the repeal of other executive orders, the Governor's office said that the emergency declaration for COVID-19 would be extended again with a more limited scope, focusing on "COVID-19 recovery efforts, similar to the recovery executive order currently in place for 2020 wildfire season recovery."

"We should all take pride in the work we have done to bring us to this moment," Brown continued. "The efforts underway to close our vaccine equity gap and reach every Oregonian with information and a vaccine have definitely helped bring us this far. Thank you to all who are going the extra mile to vaccinate Oregonians."

Brown's office said that she would also rescind the executive orders concerning schools and childcare, handing back the reins to individual schools, districts, and communities for health and safety decision-making.

Almost simultaneously, the Oregon Department of Education issued a final set of guidance for the coming school year, prioritizing the return of full-time, in-person instruction in the fall. Schools will still be expected to follow regulations on the control of infectious diseases and plan accordingly.

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Gov. Brown: Oregon will reopen June 30, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination rate - KDRV