I'm doctor Dean Sidelinger,
the health officer and state
epidemiologist here in Oregon.
OK, perfect if you could just
quickly give me a rundown on the
decision that OHA just announced.
And you know what it means for argonians?
Today we're filing the rule to continue mass
requirements in indoor public settings,
as well as K12 settings here in Oregon.
These are tools that will help us
combat COVID-19 as we get through
this current Omicron surge.
We're also announcing that based on
data trends that we're seeing in the
forecast that we see in data that
hospitalizations should go down to
a level where they were pre omicron
of about 400 by the end of March,
and so we anticipate lifting.
The general public and school massacre
requirements on March 31st or
sooner associated trends accelerate.
This will give our local partners
as well as our schools a chance
to prepare for either implementing
a local requirement for masks in
schools or other settings,
or to prepare for procedures ugly in
place when those mask rules are lifted.
So we're announcing the extension of
math as well as what the end point is
for math together so that people can
make decisions and we can continue to.
Implement the protective measures
that Oregonians have been so
good at during this pandemic,
wearing masks, getting vaccinated,
limiting their gathering sizes,
particularly during surges that
have kept organ successful at
fighting this virus and keeping our
case rates and death rates low.
And I also read that it looks like
employers will have a little bit of,
uh, employers and businesses will have
a little bit of a different situation,
even while you know the state may be
lifting these mask mandates by March 31st.
Moving forward, businesses might not.
So what we are we have mask requirements
will be in place in three under
three different rules for the general
public in indoor public settings,
in K12 settings as well as in
healthcare settings. By March 31st.
The rules for indoor public settings
as well as K12 settings will be lifted,
but mass will still be required in
healthcare settings by individuals,
staff, contractors, volunteers,
as well as visitors,
patients and other customers.
In those settings,
and these are settings that
serve all Oregonians,
often some of the most vulnerable,
most at risk for complications from COVID.
And that's where people seek care for COVID,
so having masks continue in those
settings is important for individual
businesses and locations after March 31st.
If they would like to continue requiring
masks for their employees or staff
or customers and clients they serve,
they can do that.
We also hope that businesses will
support individuals choice to continue
to wear masks in those settings.
Whether it's their staff or
the customers they serve,
you know some individuals who are
not vaccinated who are higher risk
for complications from COVID or
who are immunocompromised or return
home to someone in one of those
categories may want to continue
wearing a mask even after March 31st.
So we help businesses will support
that and support individuals in
their choice to continue that.
So I know also in Oregon you
know we've got a bunch of people
who are just fine masking,
you know, wherever they go.
But then there are also those
people in another group who are
very much so against masking.
I know there's been public comment on
this issue, so I guess you know why.
Issue this permanent indoor
mask role when you know we've
heard a number of people testify
and just speak out against it.
Say I appreciate all The Oregonian
who provided testimony over the
last couple of weeks and provided
comment to us about the impact
of wearing masks on their lives.
We heard several stories of
people with health conditions and
others that have difficult time
wearing masks at the same time,
I want to thank the vast majority
or coniine to continue to wear
a mask to protect themselves,
their loved ones in those around them.
When we wear masks and indoor
public settings,
it protects not just ourselves,
but those around us and Oregonians.
Have overwhelmingly continued to
wear masks and take other steps such
as getting vaccinated and being up
to date with their vaccinations.
I'm staying home when they're
sick and changing their activities
during times of high COVID spread.
You know,
survey show that over 80% of Oregonians
report regularly wearing a mask.
So by announcing this rule now,
it'll give the vast majority of
Oregonians a chance to plan for whether
they will continue wearing masks
after March 31st to protect themselves.
Loved ones are more vulnerable
to transfer those institutions
and businesses to plan because
we've taken all that into account.
But right now there are over 1000
Oregonians in the hospital with COVID.
That's a number that continues
to strain our health care system,
and so having these requirements in place
for the next several weeks is important.
As we get case rates back down,
return to a level where hospitals
are better able to care for patients
without the strain that's are
experiencing now and make sure that
that quality care we all deserve.
Whether we have COVID.
A heart attack or have been
involved in the car at a car crash,
had the ability to access the
quality care we need.
So these mask requirements
are in place for now,
but in several weeks providing that
the trends continue will be in a
place where individuals will be
making their own decisions about
masks in these public settings.
And say you know, March 31st
comes around masking requirements.
You know in indoor public spaces
and all that they're lifted.
How likely is it that the state would
then revert back to a masking requirement?
What would conditions have to be?
I think it would be unlikely that we'll see,
you know, re imposition of mass
requirements broadly across Oregon,
the Oregon Health Authority,
our local public health partners continue
to monitor disease spread in the community.
Continue to see the development of
new variant and whether they are more
contagious cause more severe disease,
or that are vaccines aren't as
effective on the other side,
we know that our vaccines remain effective
even against variants that weren't around
when they were tested and released, and.
We know that the oral antivirals that
were developed are very effective
at preventing severe disease,
and those who get sick.
They're in short supply now,
but as manufacturing you know,
increases will see more of those
in the community,
so we need to look at potential
negative impacts of of new variants.
But we also have, you know,
great preventive measures with
our vaccines and medicines that
can help prevent severe disease.
So looking at all those things together,
using all the tools in our toolbox,
I don't know that we'll see the
widespread mask requirement.
Come back into place,
but at times it cases increase in the future.
Likely individuals who are at higher
risk for complications because
of underlying conditions or their
immunocompromised,
or they live with someone in
those categories,
may choose to wear masks and limit their
time in indoor public settings and during
those times to protect themselves.
Beloved,
once they return home too,
and that will help keep people safe.
Keep people out of the hospital
and hopefully limit the impact
of severe disease in the future.
No matter what variant.
Or other clinical piece
that COVID-19 throws at us.
Yeah, and you would kind of
mentioned potentially new
variants down the road and we off.
We often don't know what's headed for us.
Who knows, we could have another
omicron or delta or something worse,
but it is interesting to note that
the state isn't thinking about
reinstituting the the masking rules
and what kinds of I don't know if
you can just give me a sense of the
kinds of conversations that you know.
Health experts yourself at the state level
are having when it comes to balancing.
Public safety,
especially because there are still
so many Oregonians who are not,
you know, vaccinated or boosted with.
Just moving on with life as
if it were somewhat normal.
Sort of pre pandemic.
How do you balance these two things when
you've still got a number of people?
Many people who are still in
vaccinated and not boost.
Yeah, I, I think you know throughout this
pandemic it's always been a balancing act,
so there are the direct physical impacts
from COVID people who are ill and
even with mild or moderate illness,
that doesn't mean that they're without
symptoms, or it doesn't mean that
they're not missing work or school for
a period of time while they're sick
to preventing you know more severe
disease hospitalizations and deaths.
But we know that the anxiety,
the limits you know on visitation in
nursing homes early on in the pandemic, the.
Moved to remote learning in schools
have had other impacts on our,
you know, social and emotional health.
Our behavioral health and have had
other wide ranging impacts including you
know economic impacts that have been,
you know, partially offset by some
of our federal programs that have
helped individuals with unemployment
and helped small and and medium and
large businesses get through this.
But there's multiple impacts from
COVID-19 that we need to balance right
now at this stage in the pandemic.
We're at a different stage than we were,
you know,
throughout 2021 and throughout 2020.
We have widely available,
safe and effective vaccines,
and while we still have a large number
of Oregonians who are not vaccinated,
we continue to provide those vaccines
in multiple communities and different
settings so that we can try and get
their questions answered and get
them back scenes as they need them.
We'll have vaccines available shortly,
hopefully for the youngest children.
Six months to under five years.
That will help ensure that that
portion of the population who's not yet
eligible for vaccines can get them.
We know that our oral.
Therapeutics are antiviral medications
will be in in greater supply so
that if individuals do get sick,
those who are most at risk for
complications can take this
medication to prevent disease.
This is a much easier formulation
than some of the medicines we have
that currently require an Ivy
or an injection and needs to be
delivered in the health care setting
or monoclonal antibodies.
So we have these additional
tools at our disposal.
We know that case rates are going
down fairly significantly in Oregon.
Do the omicron surge or
hospitalizations that are.
Fairly flat,
but we anticipate those will be coming
down so the disease burden in the
Community will be much less by March 31st,
but that's why we're not announcing that
the mask requirements are going away.
Today.
We know disease is still fairly
prevalent throughout most of Oregon.
Over 1000, Oregonians are in
the hospital today with COVID,
but the trends look good,
and by March 31st we should be in a
place where individuals will make these
decisions to protect themselves and
their loved ones and those around them.
And then we can move into the
spring or COVID.
Isn't the dominant factor impacting
our daily lives where we're worried
about our kids being in remote
learning because teachers are out
sick and and the school can offer in
person. Instruction will be at
a place where our health care
system is not as strained as now,
and where the businesses in our
neighborhood aren't forced to
shut down because they've said
shortages because staff are out
with COVID by the end of March.
If those forecasts will through
the data transfer seeing hold true,
we should be in a much better
place where we're getting closer to
where we live with COVID-19 and it
doesn't have this sitting there.
Significant impacts on our daily
lives that it continues to have.
I like all Oregonians,
are really looking forward to that
day and I think it is within sight
and announcing this lifting of the
mask requirements is indicating that
we're one step closer to getting there.
And I know you don't have much more time,
but really quickly I know that we're
you know you're announcing the lifting
of masking requirements on March 31st.
Then moving forward.
Do still recommend that the
people continue to wear masks
while this requirement is lifted.
Is it still recommended that
people wear masks, you know?
I think going forward after March 31st,
we need to look at what
conditions are like on the ground.
We know that universal masking in
school settings serves as a key
tool to helping prevent transmission
of COVID in those schools,
and likely that is something from a
public health perspective that will
still be useful at that time and
protecting all students and staff
are in those settings those with
disabilities and chronic conditions
and others that may be more vulnerable.
For individuals in the community when
they're out in indoor public settings,
if you're unvaccinated,
if you're have a chronic condition
that puts you more at risk
for complications from COVID,
or you're immunocompromised,
or you live with someone who fits
into one of those categories,
you may want to continue to take extra
precautions and wear masks in those settings,
particularly if it's a prolonged exposure.
A crowded setting wearing a mask
can help protect you,
and the loved ones you return home,
too, so I certainly think that many
individuals would still be wearing a mask.
'cause they fall into one of
those categories.
Is there anything else that you'd like
to add that we haven't discussed that
you think it is important to talk about?
I think you know I would like to thank
all Oregonians for continuing wear
masks for being up to date with their
vaccines and for taking precautions to
help prevent the spread of COVID-19,
you know, as a state,
we've demonstrated that we've come
together and taken actions that,
while not always easy,
I've really helped to blunt some of
the tremendous impacts of COVID-19 our
hospital surge right now is seems to be
peaking below what it was with Delta,
and that's really thanks to the collective
actions that all are going to taken.
I know they're not without sacrifices,
but those actions have saved thousands
of lives throughout the state.