Episode 38: Oregon Covid-19 Updates and Guidance

Additional resources

Q1: I’ve heard there are big changes in the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon happening March 12. What’s changing?

Two big changes are coming tomorrow, March 12. OHA is pausing quarantining, including in schools and childcare settings. And OHA is lifting most mask requirements in most indoor settings except in healthcare settings.

Q2: What is quarantining and why is OHA pausing it?

Quarantine means to stay away from other people after you have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19. Starting tomorrow, OHA will no longer require you to quarantine. So if you or your kid is exposed to someone and is asymptomatic, you do not have to stay home or keep your child home from school.

So why is OHA pausing quarantining? For a couple of reasons:

A significant proportion of our state’s population has been vaccinated or has developed immunity following a COVID infection. At the same time, the tools we previously used, such as contact tracing, are no longer as effective because transmission occurs quickly, many infected people have no symptoms, or mild symptoms and many infections are not reported to public health. 

  But it’s important to remember that:

Q3: How is isolation different than quarantine?

I know, it’s confusing. Isolation means staying away from other people after you have tested positive. So, if you test positive for COVID, you still need to stay away from people for five days and then wear a mask for five days.

Q4: You said indoor masks are being lifted. Is that everywhere?

No. Masks are still going to be required in health care settings, such as hospitals, doctor and dentist offices, and in places like long-term care facilities, jails and shelters. And you will still need to wear a mask on public transportation, and in airports and on airplanes.

And people may continue to wear masks in public settings. We strongly recommend that people who are high risk for severe disease continue to wear masks in public places.

Q5: Does OHA’s announcement to end some mask requirements mean the pandemic is over?

No. While we would all like the pandemic to be over, it is still with us. 

Q6: If a new variant comes along that is more transmissible than Omicron, will OHA reinstate the mask requirement?

OHA is monitoring the Omicron variant and an Omicron subvariant known as BA.2 We will notify the people of Oregon as we learn more. State officials will continue to review the impact COVID is having on communities and consider options for masking recommendations.

Q7: When mask requirements are lifted, what about people in Black communities and others who are disproportionately impacted by COVID – can we still access and wear masks? 

Yes. Anyone who wants to continue to wear a mask can do so, and some places may still have their own mask requirements. 

OHA is facilitating the distribution of high-quality masks to community-based organizations, such as Tribal Nations, local public health, K-12 schools, hospitals, shelters serving people experiencing houselessness, early learning facilities, hospitals and migrant seasonal farmworkers.

Q8: What can I do if someone harasses me for continuing to wear a mask after the requirements are lifted? 

People should respect the choices of others to wear masks. There are different reasons why someone may wear a face covering. Some reasons include that a person may have a disability or medical condition that puts them at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness. 

People of color may experience harassment, bias, exclusion or other negative reactions when wearing masks or face coverings. This may be because of racial bias, stereotyping or discrimination. 

But Oregon law does not allow discrimination or hate or bias crimes. A hate or bias crime is a criminal act, including offensive physical contact, assault, property damage or threats, that may be motivated by another person’s perceived: 

Bias incidents are any hostile expression toward another person, including hate language, mocking, mimicking, exclusion, or discriminatory refusal of service, relating to the other person’s perceived protected class, which I mentioned. 

If you believe you have experienced a hate or bias crime or incident because of wearing of a mask, face covering or face shield,  there are resources to help you. To report a bias crime, call law enforcement at 911. To report a bias incident, call the Oregon Department of Justice at 1-844-924-BIAS (2427). Dial 711 for Oregon Relay. For more information, go to StandAgainstHate.Oregon.gov. To file a civil rights complaint, visit Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) website or call 971-673-0764.

Q9: After March 12, can businesses or workplaces continue to require masks? 

Yes. Organizations may have policies to protect workers, customers, visitors and clients, including requiring masks and proof of vaccination, in compliance with Americans with Disability Act guidelines and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. 

Q10: My community-based organization provides services that some individuals need. Can I still require masks for all individuals when the requirement is lifted? 

While you can require your staff to wear a mask and require masks for those coming into your facility for services, if you are going out into the community to provide services, you may not be able to require individuals you serve to wear a mask, unless you have a service agreement with them that states they have to wear a mask when receiving services. You may want to have staff wear highly protective masks such as KN95 or N95, if individuals you serve are not going to be wearing a mask. 

Q11: What general resources can I access as a worker to understand my rights? 

Workers have rights under a number of different laws enforced by several different state and federal agencies. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration accepts complaints related to health and safety violations in the workplace. 

For questions about civil rights protections based on protected classes like disability, race and religion among others, call the Bureau of Labor and Industries at 971-673-0761 or email help@boli.state.or.us.

Q12: Besides washing hands and wearing a mask, what else can immunocompromised people do to stay safe if they are unable to get vaccinated?

There are some therapies available to immunocompromised people if they are not able to get vaccinated. They can use the oral medications that Pfizer and Merck have come out with. They can also get monoclonal antibody infusions to prevent progression of disease.

Document accessibility: For individuals with disabilities or individuals who speak a language other than English, OHA can provide information in alternate formats such as translations, large print, or braille. Contact the Health Information Center at 1-971-673-2411, 711 TTY or COVID19.LanguageAccess@dhsoha.state.or.us.