April 20, 2021 2:00 p.m.

Douglas County will stay at High Risk level for COVID-19, following Tuesday’s update on county risk levels by Governor Kate Brown.

Effective this Friday through May 6th there will be 23 counties at High Risk level, 3 at Moderate Risk and 10 at Lower Risk. 10 counties moved to High Risk, 2 moved to Moderate Risk and 1 moved to Lower Risk.

A release said for counties to move to or remain in Extreme Risk they must meet the county metrics for case rates and percent positivity, plus statewide hospitalization metrics: COVID-19 positive patients occupying 300 hospital beds or more, and a 15 percent increase in the seven-day hospitalization average over the past week. The release said there are 11 counties that qualify for Extreme Risk based on their county metrics but are assigned High Risk because the statewide hospitalization triggers have not been met. That includes Baker, Clackamas, Columbia, Deschutes, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Linn, Marion and Polk counties.

The two-week caution period applies to counties facing backward movement. Counties that reduced their COVID-19 spread enough to move back down in risk level in the previous two-week period, but see their numbers go back up in the next two-week period are given a two-week caution period to re-focus efforts to drive back down creeping case numbers and give local businesses additional certainty on their plans for operating. This week the caution period applies to 3 counties – Grant, Malheur, and Umatilla.

The next assignment of risk levels will be announced on May 4th and will take effect May 7th.