Autor: Tara Micka

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The Governor’s office announced today Baker County will be moving from ‘high risk’ to the ‘lower risk’ category next week. The guidelines for ‘lower risk’ will take effect February 12, and will allow greater capacity for gyms, retail stores, churches, and indoor seating at eating and drinking establishments than what is allowed under the current ‘high risk’ category. La guía específica está disponible en el sitio web de la Autoridad de Salud de Oregon.

Commissioner Mark Bennett says, “I’m really glad to see our risk level drop to this lowest level. Our businesses need this to happen, and need Baker County to stay at this level. Thank you for staying home if you’re sick, washing your hands, and taking steps to keep each other healthy. It has made a big difference, and it’s vital to protecting our community and staying open.”

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Effective immediately, Baker County is moving from the ‘extreme’ to ‘high risk’ ranking category with the State of Oregon. The high risk category will allow restaurants to resume indoor dining and gyms to reopen at limited capacities, among other changes.

Baker County requested the Oregon Health Authority review data that was used to calculate the county’s positivity rate. After careful review, officials found some of the data was not being reported correctly, which ultimately impacted Baker County’s risk level ranking. The Oregon Health Authority and the Governor’s office have moved Baker County back to the ‘high risk’ category, and are correcting the data reporting problem moving forward.

Commissioner Mark Bennett says, “This is a great step in the right direction for our community and local businesses. I’m grateful for the work of Nancy Staten, the Health Department Director, Jason Yencopal, the Emergency Management Director, and Dr. Eric Lamb, the County’s Public Health Officer, for their work in identifying the discrepancy and following up. Thank you, too, to the State of Oregon for working with us to review the data and correct the issue.”

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Baker County is accepting sign-ups from anyone 65 and older who is interested in receiving a COVID vaccine. County residents can sign up at www.bakercountycovid19.com anytime, or by calling 541-523-0015 between 7:30 am and 6:00 pm on Monday, February 8 through Thursday, February 11. Spanish translators will be available.

The Baker County Health Department is following the Oregon Health Authority’s vaccine priority guidance. The Health Department will contact those on the sign-up list to schedule an appointment when their age group is eligible and vaccines are available. Beginning next week, those 80 and over are eligible to receive vaccinations, and anyone in this age group who signs up will be contacted for an appointment when the Health Department receives vaccines.

Please call the call center at 541-523-0015 next week, or visit www.bakercountycovid19.com to be added to the sign up list- please do not contact the Health Department directly.

For those 64 and under, a sign up list is not currently available, but more information about vaccine eligibility will be coming soon.