Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issues outdoor mask mandate, effective Friday
The rule does not apply to fleeting encounters, such as individuals walking by one another on a trail or in a park, or private residences.
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Masks will be required in most public outdoor settings starting Friday regardless of a person's vaccination status, Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday.
The rule applies to locations where it is not possible for members of different households to socially distance, such as large outdoor gatherings. Governor's Office staff indicated that fear of coronavirus delta variant spread at coming events — including the Oregon State Fair, which opens Friday — spurred the new mandate.
Masks will not be required in locations where only "fleeting encounters" occur, such as on a hiking trail or in a park.
However, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department officials said they're adding signs that say "masks required" at viewpoints or other areas at state parks where people congregate in large numbers.
The U.S. Forest Service also said it is asking visitors to mask whenever physical distancing is not possible — including outdoors and on the trail.
While not required, the Oregon Health Authority is also recommending mask-wearing at private outdoor gatherings when the event includes individuals from different households.
“The delta variant is spreading fast and wide, throwing our state into a level of crisis we have not yet seen in the pandemic. Cases and hospitalizations are at a record high,” Brown said in a statement. “Masks are a quick and simple tool we can immediately deploy to protect ourselves and our families, and quickly help stop further spread of COVID-19."
A masked-up pedestrian walks past the Actors Cabaret of Eugene mural on 10th Street near Willamette on Nov. 16 in Eugene.
The outdoor mask requirement does not apply to:
Children under age 5.
Individuals who are actively eating, drinking or sleeping.
Individuals who live outside, such as people experiencing homelessness.
Individuals playing or practicing competitive sports.
Individuals doing an activity in which it is not possible to wear a mask, such as swimming.
Individuals delivering a speech or performing, such as with outdoor music or theater.
Similar exceptions are in place for the state's indoor mask requirement, which went into effect Aug. 13.
In late July, Brown announced that masks would be required at K-12 schools when the school year begins.
That rule will require masks to be worn indoors at school, but not outdoors. The Governor's Office said the new outdoor masking requirement will not override the school mandate for students and staff during school hours. However, masks would be required outdoors for public and spectator events on school grounds, such as sporting events.
The decision to implement an outdoor mask rule was made over the weekend and based on updated COVID-19 projections, which show rising cases, hospitalizations and deaths, according to the Governor's Office.
“It is much easier for people with the delta variant, compared to people who were sick last year, to infect others around them,” State Health Officer Dr. Dean Sidelinger said in a statement. “We are starting to see instances where cases are clustering around events, like outdoor music festivals, that happen outdoors.”
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