Author: Tara Micka

PRESS RELEASE

The Oregon Health Authority reported the fifteenth COVID-19 related death of a Baker County resident today, saying “Oregon’s 2,605th COVID-19 death is a 74-year-old man from Baker County who tested positive on May 3 and died on May 15 at St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center in Boise, ID. He had underlying conditions.”

County Commissioner Mark Bennett said, “I’m very sorry for his family and friends’ loss. Over a year into this pandemic, it hasn’t gotten any easier to receive a report like this. I ask that everyone stay aware that there are, and are going to continue to be, individuals who haven’t or can’t receive a vaccine. Thanks for everything you’ve done to protect our community, and please continue to make choices that protect each other.”

To protect the privacy and well-being of the family, and to maintain compliance with health information privacy regulations, no further information about the individual will be released by the County. We encourage everyone to be respectful as a family in our community grieves.

PRESS RELEASE

The Governor’s office announced Baker County is dropping back to the high risk category beginning Friday, May 7. Baker County went into extreme risk on April 30.

The change came due to a drop in the statewide seven-day average increase for hospitalized COVID-19 positive patients, taking the average below 15 percent. This is one of the metrics used to determine if counties qualify for extreme risk.

Additionally, the Oregon Health Authority announced changes to the maximum capacities for Indoor Recreation/Fitness and Indoor Entertainment Establishments. Maximum occupancies will now be based on a percentage of “standard” occupancy depending on the county risk level. The maximum occupancy for both Indoor Recreation/Fitness and Indoor Entertainment
Establishments is now:

● High Risk: 10% of regular maximum occupancy or 50 people, whichever is larger
● Moderate Risk: 20% of regular maximum occupancy or 100 people, whichever is larger
● Lower Risk: max 50% of regular maximum occupancy

Specific guidance for each risk level is available on the Oregon Health Authority’s website.

PRESS RELEASE

The Governor’s office announced Baker County is returning to the extreme risk category beginning Friday, April 30.

The extreme risk category imposes additional limitations on businesses, including prohibiting indoor dining and reducing capacity for indoor fitness or entertainment establishments. The Governor announced that outdoor capacity limits for bars, restaurants, and other sectors will be raised from 50 to 100 people in extreme risk counties, and that “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… and will be able to move to a lower risk level sooner if their COVID-19 case rates are brought down in the intervening weeks, or if Oregon moves below 300 statewide hospitalizations or the seven-day hospitalization average percent increase goes below 15 percent.”

County Commissioner Mark Bennett said, “I really encourage the community to draw close together to support the businesses impacted by the county moving to extreme. Order takeout and be mindful that shopping local makes a difference to these locally owned places. The Governor has indicated she’s working with the legislature to secure funds to help businesses hurt by the move back to extreme, and we’ll advocate for all the help we can to alleviate the
impact.”

Specific guidance for each risk level is available on the Oregon Health Authority’s website.