September 5, 2020 7:55 a.m.

In a press conference on Friday, Oregon Governor Kate Brown called on Oregonians to do their part to help stop the spread of COVID-19 over the holiday weekend.

Brown said this was needed to keep the state on the path to reopening more schools for in-person instruction and keeping businesses open. Brown noted that previous holiday weekends caused COVID-19 numbers to spike, urging Oregonians to stay local and avoid large gatherings that could spread the disease.

Brown said, “We’ve seen three times now how get-togethers among family and friends during holiday weekends have led to surges in COVID-19 infections, taking our progress backward”. She said it happened after Mother’s Day and Memorial Day weekends, and after the 4th of July.

Brown emphasized making smart choices over Labor Day weekend, which she said included:

*Stay local as much as possible

*Stay small – limit gatherings

*Stay outside – if gathering in small groups, do it outside where the risk of getting infected is lower

*Stay safe by covering the face with a mask or face covering

*Support local businesses to help the economy and fellow Oregonians

A link to Governor Brown’s full remarks is posted with our story at www.541radio.com:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Bb3AT660ffovhvE0iAsdd_F4cYg3hWcY/view