February 24, 2022 11:00 a.m. 

Thursday Governor Kate Brown announced that she will be lifting Oregon’s COVID-19 emergency declaration, effective April 1st.

The Governor’s release said COVID-19 hospitalizations and case numbers continue to drop rapidly across Oregon as the Omicron variant recedes.

Governor Brown said, “Over the past six months, as Oregonians weathered our worst surges of the pandemic, I’m proud of the way Oregonians have worked together to keep each other safe”. Governor Brown said lifting the declaration does not mean that the pandemic is over, or that COVID-19 is no longer a significant concern. Governor Brown said, “But as we have shown through the Delta and Omicron surges, as we learn to live with this virus, and with so many Oregonians protected by safe and effective vaccines, we can now protect ourselves, our friends and our families without invoking the extraordinary emergency authorities that were necessary at the beginning of the pandemic”.

Governor Brown said COVID-19 is still present in Oregon and residents must remain vigilant.

A release said most of the Governor’s executive orders regarding COVID-19 were rescinded on June 30, 2021. In responding to the subsequent Delta and Omicron surges of COVID-19, the Governor for the most part did not use her executive authority to issue new emergency orders. The release said she did take other steps, such as activating the Oregon National Guard to help support hospital workers and coordinating with the Oregon Health Authority to bring skilled healthcare workers to Oregon to support hospital and long-term care facility staff.

Safety requirements currently in place regarding masks, vaccinations for K-12 educators and staff, and vaccinations for healthcare workers do not rely on the state of emergency declaration. Instead they are covered by state or federal agency administrative rules issued under existing non-emergency state or federal authority.