April 23, 2020 9:45 a.m.
Oregon Governor Kate Brown said non-urgent medical procedures can resume May 1st.
The announcement said in order to start, health-care providers must demonstrate they have met new requirements for COVID-19 safety and preparedness. Hospitals, surgical centers, plus medical and dental offices that meet the requirements can resume non-urgent procedures.
Brown said as anyone waiting for an elective surgery knows, “non-urgent” does not mean “minor”. She said this is incredibly important medical care that providers would not have been asked to delay, if the threat of COVID-19 had not made it necessary.
Brown thanked Oregonians “for the sacrifices they have made during this crisis to ensure that our health care workers have the personal protective equipment they need to treat COVID-19 patients”.  Brown said lifting her order will allow the Oregon health care system to get up and running again, with appropriate safeguards in place.