November 23, 2021 4:00 p.m. 

Officials with the Oregon Health Authority have lifted the requirement for outdoor mask wearing in crowded settings, effective immediately.

An OHA release said the rule was implemented in August at the onset of the state’s most recent surge of COVID-19 cases. Health officials said the rule was among the actions the state took to combat the spread of the Delta variant, largely among unvaccinated Oregonians. OHA said the rule, along with a steady rise in vaccination rates, have helped reduce transmission rates. The rule was lifted in light of the overall progress Oregon has made to curb new infections and stabilize hospitalizations.

Oregon’s state health officer, Dr. Dean Sidelinger said, “While it’s too soon to lift all mask precautions, we can remove the outdoor mask requirement for crowded public settings. We’re not seeing these settings fueling large outbreaks. Oregonians can interact with others outdoors without putting themselves and others at high risk, especially if they are vaccinated”.

Go to: https://www.oregon.gov/Oha/Pages/index.aspx for more information from the Oregon Health Authority.