Governor Kate Brown today announced updates to county risk levels under the state's public health framework to reduce transmission and protect Oregonians from COVID-19. The framework uses four different risk levels for counties based on COVID-19 spread—Extreme Risk, High Risk, Moderate Risk, and Lower Risk—and assigns health and safety measures for each level. Lincoln County will remain in High Risk.
Effective April 29 through May 6, there will be 23 counties in the High Risk level, three at Moderate Risk, and 10 at Lower Risk. As case counts and hospitalizations increase and counties qualify for higher risk levels, increased safety measures for businesses and activities will resume. Local case numbers in Lincoln County are continuing to increase, mirroring a trend across Oregon.
Local vaccination numbers continue to be strong. As of Monday (4/19), everyone in Oregon age 16 and older is eligible to receive the vaccine, and Lincoln County continues to have the highest rate of vaccinations in Oregon, with 57 percent of the 16 and over population now vaccinated. The county will receive 2,300 first, or prime doses this week, and 1,900 second/booster doses. Eight prime dose clinics and five booster clinics will take place this week.
Florence Pourtal, public health administrator for the county, told the Board of Commissioners that the best way to reverse these trends are for everyone to recommit to basic prevention measures (masking, hand washing, social distancing) and to obtain a vaccination as soon as possible. Lincoln County Public Health is working individually and in concert about regional partners in Benton and Linn counties to continue public outreach and education efforts, using social media, local media outlets and many community partners.