As Oregon counts down the days until Gov. Kate Brown lifts coronavirus restrictions, one of the state’s top health officials said Friday it’s highly unlikely mask requirements would return even in the event of outbreaks in counties with low vaccination rates.
Brown has pledged to lift mask requirements in all but a few situations when 70% of Oregonians 18 and older are at least partially vaccinated, which is projected to happen later this month.
Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon’s epidemiologist and health officer, said he doubts the Oregon Health Authority would recommend reinstituting mask requirements and other COVID-19 safety precautions down the road. “But I don’t want to take anything off the table if the situation dramatically changes,” he said.
Some counties with a history of significant coronavirus spread now have vaccination rates as low as 35% among those 16 and older. Sidelinger acknowledged that even if the governor continued to mandate masks for unvaccinated people, it might not do any good.
“Even a requirement,” Sidelinger said, “isn’t necessarily going to get people to wear masks.”
Sidelinger’s comments Friday make clear that the change, first announced by Brown last week, is expected to be permanent. Neither vaccinated nor unvaccinated people will be required to wear masks when Oregon hits the 70% threshold.
The issue of masks has often been divisive throughout the pandemic and, while shown to be effective at reducing transmission, has remained a flashpoint for some.
According to a New York Times tracker, most states that have reopened don’t require masks for the unvaccinated or vaccinated in almost all situations. At least eight reopened states -- including New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois --are still requiring unvaccinated people to wear masks indoors, based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those states also lifted mask mandates for vaccinated people, except in limited circumstances like in airplanes, because of the CDC guidance.
It’s unclear if several other states that have yet to reopen will require face coverings for those who are unvaccinated, although California says it will.
Earlier Friday, Brown fumbled as she tried to explain how her plan to allow unvaccinated Oregonians to go without masks in most indoor public spaces later this month follows the latest CDC recommendations.
“We have continued to follow science and data and worked very closely with our federal partners, including the CDC regarding masking guidelines,” Brown said initially when defending her mask-free policy.
The CDC guidance for unvaccinated people says, in part: “Everyone 2 years and older should wear masks in public,” and “Masks should be worn in addition to staying at least 6 feet apart, especially around people who don’t live with you.”
When asked why she wasn’t planning to follow CDC guidance, Brown referred the question to Sidelinger.
“I would recommend that even when we reopen if you’re not vaccinated you consider wearing a mask, consider limiting the activities that you take part in because you’re not protected,” Sidelinger said.
When asked again, Brown seemed to express hope that the CDC might change its mask recommendations in the next few weeks.
“We’re waiting to see what the CDC guidelines are going to be as we reopen,” Brown said. “We know that they are examining the guidelines for the education system. And I suspect they will be re-examining other masking guidelines. And we will continue to watch to see what the federal agencies, including the CDC do in this arena.”
Brown went on to clarify that she was not backing away from her plan to lift most mask requirements for the unvaccinated. But then -- adding to the confusion -- she said she’d comply with the CDC’s recommendations.
“Look, we’re going to continue to follow CDC guidelines as we reopen,” Brown said.
Brown’s mixed messages come at a time when it appears COVID-19 might be regaining some ground in Oregon, about one month after Brown began lifting bans on indoor dining and loosening other coronavirus prevention measures.
The number of new known infections had been tumbling from late April to late May. But for eight days so far in June, new cases have plateaued, averaging nearly 300 per day, while new modeling indicated that could again drop.
Like many national public health experts, Sidelinger, the state epidemiologist, believes the massive surges that have characterized the pandemic are likely a thing of the past. But he expects outbreaks in coming months -- especially as highly contagious variants, including the Delta variant that was first detected in India, attempt to gain footholds and vaccination rates remain low in some areas of the state.
It’s something Sidelinger said he anticipated because more people have been gathering in close proximity to each other and traveling. But he’s monitoring the new trend closely.
“Certainly,” Sidelinger said, “it’s something that does concern me.”
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-- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee