Keeping Eugene Safe
(Updated November 25, 2020)
Protect Yourself and Others
Practice the 4 Ws:
- Wear a Face Covering – indoors and outside when you can’t maintain 6 feet of space, it’s a statewide requirement.
- Watch Your Distance – stay 6-feet apart from those outside your household and limit your gathering size.
- Wash Your Hands – often with soap and water for 20 seconds throughout the day.
- Wait It Out – stay home if you are sick.
Also read considerations offered by the CDC for slowing the spread of COVID-19 during Holiday Celebrations and Small Gatherings.
- 2-Week Freeze Through Dec. 2
- New Health & Safety Framework Beginning Dec. 3
- Travel Advisory
- Testing & Contact Tracing
- Vaccines
Governor Brown on Nov. 13 announced a two-week statewide freeze to stop the rapid spread of COVID-19 across Oregon. From November 18 through December 2, risk reduction measures will be implemented to limit the spread of COVID-19, reduce risk in communities more vulnerable to serious illness and death, and help conserve hospital capacity so that all Oregonians can continue to have access to quality care.
Risk Reduction Measures
- Social gatherings
- Limited to no more than 6 people total, from no more than 2 households – indoor and outdoor
- Limited faith-based organizations to a maximum of 25 people indoors or 50 people outdoors
- No Indoor visitation in long-term care facilities
- Businesses
- Work-from-home to the greatest extent possible and close offices to the public
- Restaurants and bars are delivery and take-out only (indoor and outdoor dining prohibited)
- Grocery stores and pharmacies are limited to 75% capacity and should encourage curbside pick up
- Retail stores and malls (indoor and outdoor) are limited to 75% capacity and should encourage curbside pick up
- Must Close
- Gyms and fitness organizations
- Indoor recreational facilities, museums, indoor entertainment activities, and indoor pools and sports courts
- Zoos, gardens, aquariums, outdoor entertainment activities, and outdoor pools
- Venues that host or facilitate indoor or outdoor events
The Two-Week Freeze does not apply to or change current health and safety protocols for...personal services (such as barber shops, hair salons, and non-medical massage therapy), congregate homeless sheltering, youth programs, childcare, K-12 schools, and higher education – all of which can continue operating under previous guidance issued by the Oregon Health Authority.
Learn more on the State of Oregon’s Coronavirus web page and read Governor Brown’s Executive Order on the Temporary Freeze to Stop the Rapid Spread of COVID-19.
Enforcement
Wondering where to report violations of the statewide two-week freeze Executive Order? See information about which agencies to contact with any concerns.
Governor Brown announced new metrics that will go into effect on Dec. 3, after the conclusion of the statewide two-week freeze.
Risk Levels
This new health and safety framework uses four different risk levels for counties based on their level of COVID-19 spread—Extreme Risk, High Risk, Moderate Risk, and Lower Risk—effective December 3. The framework is intended to establish sustainable protection measures for Oregonians in counties with rapid spread of COVID-19, while balancing the economic needs of families and businesses in the absence of a federal aid package.
County risk levels will be based on two metrics:
- Rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 over 14 days
- Percentage test positivity over previous 14 days
Guidance for activities varies depending on a county’s risk level. See Oregon Health Authority’s Guidance by Activity Table.
County Risk Levels to be Evaluated Every Two Weeks
On Monday, November 30, the Oregon Health Authority will reexamine county data to determine which counties qualify for each risk level on December 3, following the end of the 2-Week Freeze. In each subsequent two-week period, the Oregon Health Authority will examine and publish county data weekly, but county risk levels will not change until the end of the second week. In the first week, counties will be given Warning Week data to prepare for potential risk level changes. In the second week, county risk levels will be updated based on that week’s data.
Governor Brown emphasizes that there is no Zero Risk category. Until COVID-19 vaccines are widely available, health and safety precautions will remain in place so that schools, businesses, and communities can reopen, and stay open. At every risk level, to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks, Oregonians must continue to wear face coverings, watch their physical distance, wash hands, stay home when sick, and keep social get-togethers and gatherings small.
Learn More
Governor Brown issued a travel advisory on Nov. 13, 2020 in response to increasing cases of COVID-19 in many states and countries. Persons arriving in Oregon from other states or Oregonians returning from other states or countries could increase the risk of COVID-19 spread. In addition, travel itself can be a risk for exposure to COVID-19, particularly travel through shared conveyance such as air, bus or rail travel.
Travel Advisory for Non-Essential Travel
- Persons arriving in Oregon from states or countries, including returning Oregon residents, should practice self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival. These persons should limit their interactions to their immediate household. This recommendation does not apply to individuals who cross state or country borders for essential travel.
- Non-essential travel includes travel that is considered tourism or recreational in nature.
- Essential travel includes work and study, critical infrastructure support, economic services and supply chains, health, immediate medical care, and safety and security.
- Oregonians are encouraged to stay home or in their region and avoid non-essential travel to other states or countries. Avoiding travel can reduce the risk of virus transmission and bringing the virus back to Oregon.
COVID-19 Testing
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, please contact your healthcare provider or telehealth program to discuss whether you should be evaluated for testing. Each coronavirus test provider will determine if testing is appropriate based on your symptoms, risk factors, and test availability.
Use Oregon Health Authority's COVID-19 Test Site Finder to find the nearest testing site and find answers to frequently asked questions.
Contact Tracing
Contact tracing means calling people who may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 to provide guidance and support.
Contact tracing is critical to our community's ability to continue limiting the spread of COVID-19. People who participate in contact tracing are actively helping to keep their community safe by helping public health officials track the virus.
Lane County Public Health's contact tracing involves educating people who are sick so they understand why they need to isolate, making sure those people have what they need to stay isolated, and identifying additional people who may have been exposed.
Learn More
TRACE Community Testing in Eugene
Oregon State University’s Trace Community testing teams visited randomly-selected Eugene households on Nov. 7 and 8 in a representative set of neighborhoods. Participation was voluntary and all selected individuals received a home test kit from TRACE field staff.
Participants in the TRACE project help public health leaders understand the prevalence of the virus that causes COVID-19 in their communities and how prevalence is changing over time. With a clearer understanding of how the virus spreads, public health leaders and health care providers can make informed decisions about policies, as well as the use of time and resources to slow the spread of the virus and minimize its impacts. The results also help community members make personal decisions about their own health care and that of family members.
Oregon Health Authority Draft COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
The CDC has asked all states to share how they plan to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine once a safe and effective vaccine is ready. Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has submitted a draft plan to CDC.
This draft plan is only the first step. OHA is reaching out to public health, health care and community organizations to partner with them as they continue to develop this plan. They want to understand how our current systems for getting people vaccinated may need to be rebuilt to meet the needs of communities who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
OHA’s plan will follow federal guidance for a phased approach. This means starting with vaccinations for critical groups, including people involved in the pandemic response and people at the highest risk for getting very sick. As more vaccine becomes available, there will be wider distribution to other high risk groups and the general public.
Learn More
- Oregon Health Authority Draft COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
- About COVID-19 Vaccines (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Western States Join California’s Scientific Safety Review Workgroup to Ensure Safety of COVID-19 Vaccine (State of Oregon, Oct. 27, 2020)
- Governor Newsom Names Scientific Safety Review Workgroup to Advise State on COVID-19 Vaccines (Office of Governor Gavin Newsome, Oct. 19, 2020)