August 24, 2021 1:50 p.m. 

On Tuesday, Governor Kate Brown announced new statewide outdoor mask requirements that she said will help stop the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

Effective this Friday, masks will be required in most public outdoor settings, including large outdoor events, where physical distancing is not possible, and will be in effect regardless of vaccination status.

A release said the Oregon Health Authority also strongly recommends masks for outdoor gatherings at private residences where individuals from different households do not consistently maintain physical distance.

Brown said, “The Delta variant is spreading fast and wide, throwing our state into a level of crisis we have not yet seen in the pandemic. Cases and hospitalizations are at a record high”. Brown said that masks are a quick and simple tool that that can “…protect ourselves and our families, and quickly help stop the spread of COVID-19”.

Under the Governor’s direction, the OHA rule will require masks for all individuals in outdoor settings in which people from different households are unable to consistently maintain physical distance. The rule does not apply to fleeting encounters, such as people walking by one another on a trail or in a park.

The release said the rule aligns with the exceptions outlined in the recent statewide indoor mask requirements, and does not apply to:

*Children under age 5

*Individuals who are actively eating, drinking or sleeping, as well as individuals living outdoors, such as persons experiencing houselessness.

*People playing or practicing competitive sports, or engaged in an activity in which it is not feasible to wear a mask – such as swimming.

*Individuals delivering a speech or performing – such as with outdoor music or theater.

*Mask requirements for day-to-day operations at K-12 schools are not governed by this rule and will instead continue to fall under the school mask rules. Outside public events, spectator events, and gatherings of the general public on K-12 school grounds will be subject to the rule.

A video message from Governor Brown is linked: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19qVuX_z9zT3ElmMnku3Jngd5jxizx7B9/view