March 5, 2021 3:40 a.m.

Governor Kate Brown has announced a modification to the process for assigning county risk levels, specifically for counties facing moves back to Extreme Risk.

A release said with case rates across Oregon largely declining, beginning next week and continuing until further notice, counties that improved from Extreme Risk to any other risk level in the latest two-week period, and that are facing a move back to Extreme Risk in the next two-week period, will be given a two-week extension at their current risk level.

The release said this will allow counties to re-focus efforts to drive back down creeping case numbers, and give local businesses additional certainty on their plans for operating. If, at the end of the two-week extension, case rate data still puts the county at Extreme Risk, the county will move to that level.

Brown said, “Oregon continues to fare better than most states in the nation with regards to infection and mortality rates, thanks to the smart choices that Oregonians continues to make”. Brown said recognizing the challenges businesses encounter when facing a switch back and forth between Extreme Risk and other risk levels, this two-week extension will alleviate some of the challenges and give counties a bit more time to bring case rates down.

Counties that will be given a two-week extension will be noted in the risk level list that is released when county risk levels are assigned. The next assignment of risk levels will be announced Tuesday, March 9th, and will take affect on Friday March 12th.