PORTLAND, Ore. — Multnomah County has submitted its application to enter Phase 1 of Oregon’s reopening plan.
The county’s goal is to enter Phase 1 on Friday, June 12. County leaders will re-evaluate progress on June 10.
If Multnomah County enters Phase 1 as planned, the following restrictions will be eased:
- Restaurants and bars for sit-down service: Requirements include 6 feet of social distancing; a limit of groups to parties of 10 or fewer; food and drink consumption must end by 10 p.m.; and workers are required to wear masks. See more details on the requirements
- Barbers, salons and massage businesses: Requirements include social distancing; appointment-only; and a personal protective equipment and customer list. See more details on the requirements
- Gyms and fitness centers: Requirements include a maximum gathering limit; social distancing; and sanitation. See more details on the requirements
- In-person gatherings: Up to 25 people, no travel
“We have moved thoughtfully and deliberately to this day so that the sacrifices our communities have made since March will not be lost,” said Chair Deborah Kafoury. “We must also acknowledge that this reopening is taking place at a historic moment, when millions of people nationally, and tens of thousands of people here in Multnomah County, are crying out for justice, demanding we collectively confront the profound harms and injustices of systemic racism.
"The county’s response to COVID-19, and the work we’re putting into reopening, hasn’t taken place in a vacuum. Addressing the inequitable disease burden on communities of color is a critical part of our response and our path forward.’’
After entering Phase 1, the county will need to wait at least 21 days before it is eligible to enter Phase 2.
Multnomah County, which is the most densely populated in the state, is the only county remaining in Oregon that has not entered Phase 1 of Gov. Kate Brown’s reopening plan.
Twenty-six Oregon counties have been approved to enter Phase 2.