The Oregon Health Authority on Thursday reported 14 COVID-19 deaths and 733 new coronavirus cases as Gov. Kate Brown announced fully vaccinated people will no longer have to wear masks in most public settings.
The full extent of the changes remains unclear, but it appears officials plan to extend it to businesses once new guidance can be drafted.
“Going forward, fully vaccinated individuals in Oregon will generally not have to wear masks or practice physical distancing indoors or outdoors, with exceptions,” Charles Boyle, a spokesperson for the governor, said in a statement.
“However, we realize that businesses and other venues will not have had time to update their policies in the last few hours,” he added. “We’d ask fully vaccinated Oregonians for their patience, and to comply with posted mask and physical distancing regulations while Oregon’s guidance is being updated.”
Thursday also marked the first day kids age 12 to 15 could receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
More than 1,700 of those newly eligible Oregonians received a first-dose shot at the Oregon Convention Center in Northeast Portland, according to clinic organizers. An additional 5,300 have scheduled appointments for shots at the facility over the next week.
The facility is closed Friday and Saturday. But numerous appointments for May 16 and beyond are available for booking online, and walk-ins are welcome.
Vaccines: Oregon reported 30,037 newly administered doses, which includes 18,733 Wednesday and the remainder from previous days.
Where the new cases are by county: Baker (5), Benton (14), Clackamas (35), Clatsop (6), Columbia (10), Coos (7), Crook (16), Deschutes (80), Douglas (14), Harney (1), Hood River (1), Jackson (40), Jefferson (9), Josephine (11), Klamath (23), Lake (1), Lane (49), Lincoln (6), Linn (35), Malheur (4), Marion (60), Morrow (3), Multnomah (156), Polk (23), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (17), Wallowa (1), Wasco (3), Washington (94) and Yamhill (7).
Who died: Oregon’s 2,559th death linked to COVID-19 is a 73-year-old Columbia County man who tested positive March 28 and died April 2 at Portland VA Medical Center.
The 2,560th fatality is a 74-year-old Clackamas County man who tested positive March 27 and died April 14 at Providence Portland Medical Center.
Oregon’s 2,561st death is an 80-year-old Crook County man who tested positive May 4 and died May 12 at St. Charles Bend Hospital.
The 2,562nd fatality is an 85-year-old Douglas County man who tested positive Feb. 15 and died April 3 at his residence.
Oregon’s 2,563rd death is a 54-year-old Jackson County man who tested positive May 1 and died May 11 at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.
The 2,564th fatality is a 65-year-old Jefferson County man who tested positive Feb. 26 and died March 30 at St. Charles Bend Hospital.
Oregon’s 2,565th death is an 84-year-old Josephine County woman who tested positive Jan. 10 and died April 6 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. Her death certificate listed COVID-19 as a cause or significant condition contributing to her death.
The 2,566th fatality is a 78-year-old Multnomah County man who tested positive April 16 and died April 18 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital.
Oregon’s 2,567th death is a 67-year-old Multnomah County man who tested positive March 11 and died April 20 at Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center.
The 2,568th fatality is an 84-year-old Multnomah County woman who tested positive March 2 and died March 31 at Providence Portland Medical Center.
Oregon’s 2,569th death is an 80-year-old Lincoln County woman who tested positive April 1 and died April 3 at her residence.
The 2,570th fatality is an 80-year-old Linn County woman who tested positive May 5 and died May 9 at Providence Portland Medical Center.
Oregon’s 2,571st death is a 66-year-old Lane County man who tested positive April 18 and died May 12 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center.
The 2,572nd fatality is a 90-year-old Washington County man who tested positive April 6 and died April 20 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. He had no underlying conditions.
Unless noted above, each person had underlying health conditions or state officials were determining if the person had underlying conditions.
Hospitalizations: 351 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 are hospitalized, up five from Wednesday. That includes 88 people in intensive care, unchanged from Wednesday.
Since it began: Oregon has reported 193,732 confirmed or presumed infections and 2,572 deaths, among the lowest per capita numbers in the nation. To date, the state has reported at least 3,436,657 vaccine doses administered, fully vaccinating 1,528,990 people and partially vaccinating 488,954 people.
To see more data and trends, visit projects.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/
-- Brad Schmidt; [email protected]; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt
