BLOGTOWN

Oregon leaders scramble to make new mask guidelines after CDC announcement. Yulia Shaihudinova

In local news:

• Multnomah County will not be moving to the “Lower Risk” COVID-19 restriction level next week because county health officials did not submit the required vaccination equity plan by today’s deadline. The county health department aims to submit the equity plan to the Oregon Health Authority for approval to move to lower restrictions in time for Memorial Day weekend.

• The Oregon Health Authority is scrambling to develop new masking guidelines for businesses after Governor Brown announced fully vaccinated Oregonians no longer need to wear masks in most public spaces. The state epidemiologist said Friday that businesses choosing to allow mask-free shopping will most likely be required to check each customers’ vaccination card. For the record, I will be keeping my mask on because I don’t want to be confused with an anti-masker and/or anti-vaxxer, thank you very much.

Multnomah County health officials will submit the required vaccine equity plan next week. Paul Biris

In a press conference Tuesday, Governor Kate Brown announced that in order for counties to move to “Lower Risk” status—most food and entertainment, including indoor dining and gyms, venues can operate at 50 percent capacity—they must reach a 65 percent vaccination rate for residents age 16 and older, and submit a vaccine equity plan to OHA. Multnomah County has vaccinated 63 percent of residents 16 and older as of Monday and is projected to meet the 65 percent vaccination rate requirement on Friday—the deadline to be considered to be moved to “Lower Risk” on May 21.

Multnomah County received the guidelines of what needs to be included in the vaccine equity plan Wednesday morning, three days before the deadline.

County health officials did not submit an equity plan this week because they wanted to give the equity plan the “same attention to inclusion that the County has given to its overall COVID-19 response,” according to the statement.

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Portland City Council taps the brakes on expansion of the Portland Street Response team, who answers mental health calls instead of the cops. City of Portland

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Following an advisory from the CDC, Gov. Kate Brown has relaxed mask mandates for the state, saying that fully vaccinated people don't have to wear masks—either indoor or outdoor—in public spaces. BUT! BUT! BUT! She also said that the state will be offering guidance to businesses within the next few days about the option of lifting mask and distancing requirements after verifying customers’ vaccination status. (So don't go whipping your mask off in the middle of Fred Meyer just yet!) Our Isabella Garcia breaks it all down for you.

Fully vaccinated Oregonians can stop wearing masks in most public spaces, Governor Brown announced Thursday. Masks will still be required on public transit and in schools.https://t.co/e5OUdKXiAs
— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) May 14, 2021

• In last night's Portland city budget meeting (that went well past normal working hours) commissioners haggled over allocations for the coming year, with a lot of focus on the Portland Street Response program, which sends non-police emergency response to 911 calls related to mental health crises or regarding unhoused people. Much to the chagrin of its biggest booster, Commish Jo Ann Hardesty, the council voted against providing funds that would allow the program to expand city-wide. Our Alex Zielinski watched these hearings like a hawk, and files this very informative report!

• KOIN News recently wrote another super tiresome and wrong-headed "Portland is Dying" story that is somehow worse than the ones that've come before. Our Wm. Steven Humphrey (hey, that's me!) takes it apart in his usual surgical, smart-assy style.

Fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks in most public spaces. Kilito Chan

The exceptions include public transportation, hospitals, correctional facilities, public schools, and long-term care facilities. Shortly after the CDC’s announcement earlier today, TriMet shared on social media that it will require riders to wear masks until September 13 at the earliest, in alignment with US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines.

In a press statement, Brown said that the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) “will be providing updated guidance for businesses, employers, and others” in the coming days to allow for the option of lifting mask and distancing requirements after verifying customers’ vaccination status.

CDC says, "If you're fully vaxxed, you can take off your mask." But will Gov. Brown lift the mask mandate? Marina123 / Getty Images

THE BIG STORY:

• The CDC announced today that those who have been double-vaxxed can go maskless inside and out (with caveats, of course). More on that in our National News section... BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR OREGON, who is still under mask mandates? Gov. Brown is expected to issue a decision about that later this afternoon, so stand by.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• KOIN News recently wrote another super tiresome and wrong-headed "Portland is Dying" story that is somehow worse than the ones that've come before. Our Wm. Steven Humphrey (hey, that's me!) takes it apart in his usual surgical, smart-assy style.

Presenting the "7 Most Terrible Lines" from KOIN News' absolutely ridiculous "Is Portland Over?" article—courtesy of our own @WmSteveHumphrey.https://t.co/jCHkOsHXJx
— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) May 13, 2021

• Following on the heels of the FDA and CDC's recommendation, both Oregon and Washington state have approved the safety of the Pfizer vaccine for kids 12- to 15-years-of age.

• Spicy City Hall Goss: Suk Rhee, the director of the Office of Community & Civic Life, abruptly announced today she was stepping down from the beleaguered bureau which has had multiple complaints from employees about its "culture of fear." Rhee leaves on the heels of an announcement from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office that the bureau must release an outside consultant's report that looked into the bureau’s very dicey workplace culture.