Lane County drops to 'lower risk' COVID-19 category; reopening and gathering limits expand starting Friday - The Register-Guard

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Starting Friday, Lane County businesses, restaurants and churches can have more people inside than they've had throughout the pandemic.

The county will move from "moderate risk" to "lower risk" for COVID-19, the least restrictive category set by the Oregon Health Authority. The move, effective Friday, March 25, will further relax current crowd limits.

The lower risk category will allow Lane County to have larger indoor gatherings at places such as restaurants, gyms and concert halls. For churches, synagogues, mosques, mortuaries and funeral homes, capacity will increase to 75%, when it was previously limited to 50% or 150 people, which ever is smaller. Restaurants will now have a maximum of eight people per table (previously six) and a closing time of midnight (previously 11 p.m.). 

Where to sign up: Lane County launches new vaccination scheduling website Tuesday

Risk levels around the state

County risk levels under the state's public health framework are based on two metrics: rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 over 14 days and percentage test positivity over the previous 14 days. County risk levels are reassigned every two weeks.

In order to be in the lower risk category, counties with a population of 30,000 or larger must have a case rate of less than 50 per 100,000 over two weeks, and counties with a population more than 15,000 must have a case rate under 5% over two weeks. 

For the March 26 to April 8, two counties — Coos and Curry— remain at the "extreme risk" level, six counties are in "high risk," 14 are in "moderate risk," and 14 are in "lower risk."

The next assignment of risk levels will be announced April 6 and take effect April 9. 

'We're opening up the floodgates': How and when can you get the vaccine in Lane County?

What are the new guidelines?

When Lane County moves into the lower risk category Friday, here's what to expect: 

Eating and drinking establishments

• Indoor dining allowed, capacity not to exceed 50%
• Indoor and outdoor seating: 8 people per table maximum
• Outdoor dining allowed, 300 people maximum
• 12 a.m. closing time

Recreation and fitness

• Indoor capacity: maximum 50% occupancy
• Indoor full-contact sports prohibited
• Outdoor capacity: maximum 300 people
• Outdoor full-contact sports allowed

Indoor entertainment (such as aquariums, indoor theaters, arenas, concert halls, indoor gardens, indoor museums)

• Maximum 50% occupancy
• 12 a.m. closing time

Indoor and outdoor shopping centers and malls, retail stores

• Maximum 75% occupancy
• Curbside pick-up encouraged

Faith institutions, funeral homes, mortuaries, cemeteries

• Indoor capacity: Maximum 50% occupancy
• Outdoor capacity: 300 people maximum

Offices

• Limited office work available

Outdoor entertainment establishments (includes zoos, outdoor gardens, outdoor theaters/stadiums)

• Maximum 300 people

Long-term care 

• Visitation inside and outside allowed 

Social and at-home gatherings

• Indoor:10 people maximum; four household recommended limit
• Outdoor: 12 people maximum

Local case update

Lane County reported 16 confirmed or presumptive cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to Lane County Public Health. The death count remained at 140.

There were 72 people reported infectious, down four from Monday.

Eight were reported hospitalized with none in intensive care or on a respirator, unchanged from Monday.

As of Sunday, 51,788 people have been fully vaccinated, 13.7% of Lane County's population, with 142,448 first and second doses administered. There were at least 375 vaccinations in Lane County on Sunday, according to the Oregon Health Authority. 

Contact reporter Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick at Tatiana@registerguard.com or 541-521-7512, and follow her on Twitter @TatianaSophiaPT. Want more stories like this? Subscribe to get unlimited access and support local journalism.

March 24, 2021 at 05:31AM
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Lane County drops to 'lower risk' COVID-19 category; reopening and gathering limits expand starting Friday - The Register-Guard

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