In a live address Governor Kate Brown announced this afternoon that Oregon will go under a “Freeze” for a minimum of two weeks in an effort to gain some level of control over the dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths in the past week.

Individuals are expected to adhere to the new mandate immediately, and businesses must comply by Wednesday November 18 and persist for a minimum of two weeks. She was candid that some counties will be under the order longer, and sited Multnomah County as being under the Freeze for a minimum of four weeks. She acknowledged this would impact holiday plans.

The full mandate can be read on the State’s website, but the two week Freeze Measures include:

  • Limiting social get-togethers (indoors and outdoors) to no more than six people, total, from no more than two households.
  • Limiting faith-based organizations to a maximum of 25 people indoors or 50 people outdoors.
  • Limiting eating and drinking establishments to take-out and delivery only.
  • Closing gyms and fitness organizations.
  • Closing indoor recreational facilities, museums, indoor entertainment activities, and indoor pools and sports courts.
  • Closing zoos, gardens, aquariums, outdoor entertainment activities, and outdoor pools.
  • Limiting grocery stores and pharmacies to a maximum of 75% capacity and encouraging curbside pickup.
  • Limiting retail stores and retail malls (indoor and outdoor) to a maximum of 75% capacity and encouraging curbside pickup.
  • Closing venues (that host or facilitate indoor or outdoor events).
  • Requiring all businesses to mandate work-from-home to the greatest extent possible and closing offices to the public.
  • Prohibiting indoor visiting in long-term care facilities (outdoor visitation permitted for supporting quality of life).
  • The Two-Week Freeze does not apply to or change current health and safety protocols for personal services (such as barber shops, hair salons, and non-medical massage therapy), congregate homeless sheltering, outdoor recreation and sports, youth programs, childcare, K-12 schools, K-12 sports currently allowed, current Division 1 and professional athletics exemptions, and higher education — all of which can continue operating under previous guidance issued by the Oregon Health Authority.

These new measures add to the travel advisory issued earlier this morning asking residents returning from non-essential travel outside the state (and visitors returning to their homes from Oregon) to self-quarantine for 14 days. The state is asking as well to avoid non-essential travel.