April 23, 2021 4:20 p.m.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown is asking for more people to get vaccinated, as health officials say a fourth surge of COVID-19 is impacting the state.

In a press conference on Friday, she was joined by a number of staff from the Oregon Health Authority.

Brown said, “In the race between vaccines and variants, right now the variants have the upper hand”. Brown said Oregon now ranks second in the nation for having the most rapid growth of infection spread. Brown said, “Our hospitals are about to surpass 300 positive COVID-19 cases”. She said that means several counties are on the verge of having to reinstate Extreme Risk restrictions on businesses and activities.

Brown said the state is moving backwards when it needs to be moving forward. She said her goal “…is to get the state back on track to lift restrictions this pandemic has forced upon us – I think we can get there by the start of summer, but we will all need to work together”.

Brown said in order to fully reopen the economy, a significant majority of Oregonians need to get vaccinated. She said, “Vaccines are your best protection against the variants and the quickest way for us all to get back to the people and things we miss the most”.

A copy of the Governor’s prepared remarks are linked: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13w7UX9PsIuo9ho6eIlaTIGFsFIq–rlP/view