LA GRANDE — Union County is among a majority of Oregon counties to submit their plan for reopening the community to Gov. Kate Brown. Now that the county is granted the ability, businesses and services could return as soon as Friday. But with some changes. 

10 counties in Eastern Oregon, including Union and Wallowa County submitted their plans for Phase 1 reopening to the Governor’s office May 8. This plan outlines the changes being made and how the county plans to meet the criteria required by the state for a safe reopening. 

“In submitting the plans for the re-opening of eastern Oregon, the Commissioners and Judges have taken seriously the health and well-being of all our citizens, which includes their economic well-being,” a letter signed by the commissioners stated. 

Commissioner Donna Beverage said Union County’s desire to reopen is due to the economic and social impacts that have been crippling the rural economy. This plan includes working to oversee those at the Center for Human Development and emergency services and following state guidelines and experts in the medical field. 

Carrie Brogoitti, Public Health Administrator for CHD said the county is currently in a good position to reopen. There is enough resources to maintain contact tracing and response should the reopening spike the number of cases. 

“In the first phase of reopening the work that CHD does won’t be significantly different from what we’ve done all along,” Brogoitti said.  

While the work CHD is doing to continue educating and informing the public about COVID-19 related issues won’t be different, the experiences when shopping and dining may be.

“It will likely be a different experience because we are asking businesses owners to put mitigation in place,” Brogoitti said. 

Bars and Restaurants

There is guidance for local food establishments that will need to be followed. CHD’s environmental health department is in charge of health inspection checks and follows up on reports of places not following proper protocol. 

Guidelines for eating establishments to follow during Phase 1 were established by the Oregon Health Authority. They include: keeping occupancy at 50% capacity, maintaining the six foot distancing rule between tables, keep parties to 10 people or fewer, close on-site consumption of food and drink by 10 p.m. There will also be no self-service of food allowed and face coverings will be required. 

Retail 

Retail stores did not have to wait for the county to reopen to resume operation, according to the governor’s website. Shopping at retail stores will also be different as these places are required to decrease the amount of patrons allowed in a time. This is to make sure that proper distancing rules can be followed. Face coverings and proper sanitation is also required. Plastic or glass barriers are recommended but not required. 

Services

Hair dressers, massage therapist and other service based businesses also will be allowed to open with other businesses. Like the other workplaces there are specific guidances that need to be followed. Prescreening clients for COVID symptoms before they arrive is one of the expectations, as is adding additional tracking measures for client information to help with contact tracing. 

Requirements vs. recommendations

The Oregon Health Authority has laid out guidelines for businesses to follow as a way to protect communities and businesses. In each category of guidelines there are listed requirements, which must be followed if the business wants to remain open, and there are suggestions for what a business should do to help remain open and keep cases down. Requirements include those listed above in addition to focusing on proper sanitization. Recommendations include taking extra steps by posting extra signs and providing additional protective equipment for employees. CHD is in charge of educating these businesses on these recommendations and regulations.

Union County’s plan

Union County will remain in phase 1 operations for 21 days. This allows the county to see how reopening will affect the number of people with the case. While numbers may go up as more people interact, according to Brogoitti, the hope is that these mitigating factors and guidelines will prevent it occurring at an overwhelming rate. 

According to the plan submitted to the governor, the threshold that would need to be reached that require halting reopening is eight positive cases per week, five hospitalized cases, two people on ventilators and 40% capacity at surrounding area hospitals.

Union County’s plan states it meets the state’s requirements through having the ability to contact trace through CHD and test for COVID through GRH and supporting facilities. Additionally, GRH has maintained a 14 day supply of personal protective equipment. Cases for Union county have remained low at only 4 positive tests. 

The Union County sheriff’s office, Woodgrain and longterm care facilities also provided individual response plans to the county to be submitted in support of reopening.

Brogoitti said it will be up to the community to follow these guidelines and recommendations to ensure a successful reopening. 

“What we need now is for the community to help us stay open,” Brogoitti said.