County awaits possible move down
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, April 6th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – Gov. Kate Brown will release the updated COVID-19 county risk category rankings today (Tuesday) and Umatilla County Board of Commissioners Chairman George Murdock has crunched the numbers and believes the county is due for a move into the moderate risk category.
“Last week was the best we have seen in many, many months with a total county of 25 (cases,” Murdock stated. “That gives us a rolling average for the two-week period of 68. Assuming our positive test rate remains low enough, and our epidemiologist says we are – and assuming this could be a movement week, then we would qualify for movement from high down to moderate.”
The moderate risk category increases the indoor occupancy capacity for eating and drinking establishments, indoor recreation and fitness, and entertainment establishments to 50 percent or 100 people, whichever is smaller. Churches and funeral home capacity would increase to 50 percent or 150 people, whichever is smaller. Retail outlets would increase to 75 percent maximum occupancy.
“Last week we administered 1,000 doses through public health,” Murdock said of vaccinations. “Many more were given by our pharmacy partners as well as Good Shepherd and Mirasol.”
Gov. Brown will announce the risk categories today (Tuesday) and they will go into effect on Friday.
