April 6, 2021 2:20 p.m.
Douglas County will stay at the High Risk level for COVID-19 under updates to county risk levels announced on Tuesday by Governor Kate Brown.
A release said effective April 9th through April 22nd there will be 14 counties in the High Risk level, 6 will be at Moderate Risk and 16 will be at Lower Risk. Coos and Curry counties moved from Extreme Risk to High Risk. 6 counties moved to High Risk from Moderate Risk.
Beginning this week, for counties to move to or remain in Extreme Risk, they must meet the county metrics for case rates and percent positivity, plus a new statewide metric: COVID-19 positive patients occupying 300 hospital beds or more and a 15 percent increase in the seven-day average over the past week. Counties that meet the criteria for Extreme Risk but for the statewide trigger will be assigned to High Risk. This week 3 counties quality for Extreme Risk based on their county metrics, but are assigned to High Risk because the statewide trigger has not been met. Those are Josephine, Klamath and Tillamook counties.
This week five counties will enter a two-week caution period as they are facing backward movement:
*Baker County qualifies for Extreme Risk but will remain at Lower Risk because it moved down from Moderate Risk is the last movement period.
*Columbia County qualifies for Extreme Risk but will remain at Moderate Risk because it moved down from High Risk in the last movement period.
*Lane County qualifies for Moderate Risk but will remain at Lower Risk because it moved down from Moderate Risk in the last movement period.
*Polk County qualifies for High Risk but will remain at Moderate Risk because it moved down from High Risk in the last movement period.
*Yamhill County qualifies for Moderate Risk but will remain at Lower Risk because it moved down from Moderate Risk in the last movement period.
The Oregon Health Authority will examine and publish county data weekly. The next assignment of risk levels will be announced April 20th and will take effect April 23rd.
Updates to county risk levels will be published at this link: https://coronavirus.oregon.gov/Pages/default.aspx