May 1, 2021 7:15 a.m. 

On Friday, Governor Kate Brown defended putting 15 Oregon counties under Extreme Risk restrictions for COVID-19.

In a press conference, Brown said, “As we are facing widespread cases, driven by new, more contagious variants, I was presented with data showing two paths Oregon could take: One in which we took no additional action and stood by while more people die from this disease, and another that required a temporary tightening of restrictions for certain counties but could save hundreds of lives and prevent as many as 450 hospitalizations over the next three weeks”. Brown said, “As your Governor, I chose to save lives”.

Brown said the same scientific modeling also shows that over the course of the next two-to-three weeks, based on current vaccination rates, the state can get ahead of the variants. She said that following that trajectory, “…we should be able to lift restrictions statewide and return to a sense of normalcy no later than the end of June”.

Brown said that vaccinations are the best way for people to be protected and are the key to reopening the economy and moving forward to post-pandemic life. Brown asked those who have not yet been vaccinated to “…please do so now”.

A copy of the Governor’s remarks are linked: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1slUnRpsjUndSGorxtgDR16aGL4356rFJ/view