April 29, 2021 10:00 a.m.

Governor Kate Brown has extended her declaration of a state of emergency for COVID-19 for 60 days, until June 28th, unless earlier rescinded or extended.

A release said the declaration is the legal underpinning for her COVID-19 executive orders and the Oregon Health Authority’s health and safety guidance. The release said it also provides additional flexibility for the state and private parties responding to the challenges of the pandemic. That includes allowing restaurants to serve cocktails to go and allowing greater flexibility in who may administer vaccines. The release said extending the state of emergency also helps ensure that Oregon is able to fully utilize available federal COVID-19 relief and assistance, including assistance in vaccine distribution.

Brown said, “We are in the middle of the fourth surge of COVID-19 in Oregon, driven by more contagious variants of the disease. We must stop hospitalizations from spiking so we can save lives, help our nurses and doctors weather this surge and ensure no Oregonian is denied vital health care”.

Brown said she fully intends to reopen the state’s economy by the end of June and the day is approaching when her emergency orders can eventually be lifted. Brown said, “How quickly we get there is up to each and every one of us doing our part”.

Brown said the overwhelming majority of new COVID-19 cases are from people who have not yet been vaccinated. The release said younger, unvaccinated Oregonians are now showing up in hospitals with severe cases of COVID-19. Brown asked Oregonians to “…step up and take on the personal responsibility to get vaccinated”.

The release said the Governor reviews and reevaluates each of her emergency orders every 60 days, to determine whether those orders should be continued, modified or rescinded. The findings of this review process are listed in the executive order: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iO9hfdfLYw9H19nT8oiyglnLAkuuxQpC/view