Year Four, Day 321: Pandemic Times Day 70, "Stay Home - Stay Safe" Day 57: Part I: I Need a Drink

Hi Friends:

 After I posted my blog last night, I read conflicting information about the re-opening of Oregon. Yesterday, when I posted that all of Oregon was reopening, including Portland, but only stand alone retail stores, daycare and day camps for kids, I was referring to this article from the Oregonian:

 https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2020/05/all-of-oregon-including-portland-can-reopen-friday-to-some-extent-questions-answered.html

I had read that Governor Brown had extended Oregon's State of Emergency until July 6th. But that is different than her stay at home order. Which is in effect until "further notice".

https://www.kgw.com/mobile/article/news/health/coronavirus/oregon-state-of-emergency-versus-stay-home-order-whats-the-difference/283-95a91ace-9580-40ee-a8b6-727c6bec3216

Of course, then there was the judge who said Kate Brown's restrictions were null and void:

"A judge in rural Oregon tossed out statewide coronavirus restrictions imposed by Gov. Brown, saying she didn’t seek the Legislature's approval to extend the stay-at-home orders beyond a 28-day limit."

But then...


"Following swift action by the Oregon Supreme Court, my emergency orders to protect the health and safety of Oregonians will remain in effect statewide while the court hears arguments in this lawsuit," Brown said in a statement".
https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/oregon-supreme-court-puts-judges-ruling-against-covid-19-restrictions-on-hold/283-9e0cc5a0-d52d-47e6-a9af-8c1d31553be6

So the Supreme Court is now involved. "Oregon’s stay-at-home order will remain in place for now after the Oregon Supreme on Monday put a halt on a judge’s ruling that the governor’s coronavirus restrictions were null and void.
For now, that means the state is operating under the same mandate as there was on Sunday. That remains in place until the Oregon Supreme Court issues a ruling in the case, which could come as early as next week."
https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/oregon-supreme-court-puts-judges-ruling-against-covid-19-restrictions-on-hold/283-9e0cc5a0-d52d-47e6-a9af-8c1d31553be6

Most perplexing. Should we stay or should we go? Luckily I live in Vancouver, Washington. But my work (which I was temporarily laid off from as of the beginning of April) is in Portland. I have a grandbaby in Portland. I have a son in prison in Portland. It would be good to know what is actually lawful during this time!

So, I hit the Oregonian.gov website.

Apparently all of Oregon is at the "Baseline" phase or reopening.

Baseline reopening, statewide

Starting May 15th, new guidelines will take effect for all counties not entering Phase 1 Reopening.

Currently open:

• Grocery stores, pharmacies, banks and credit unions, and gas stations are all open.
• Restaurants are open for take-out service only.
• Stand alone retail operations are open provided they meet required safety and physical distancing guidelines. Indoor and outdoor malls are closed.
• Local outdoor recreation activities are open, including many state parks.
• Non-emergency medical care, dentist offices and veterinary care are open and operating, provided they meet required safety guidelines.
• Local cultural, civic and faith gatherings are allowed for up to 25 people provided physical distancing can be in place.
• Local social gatherings over 10 people are prohibited and those under 10 people must use physical distancing.
• Personal care services such as salons and barbers, as well as gyms, are closed.
• Child care is open under certain restrictions, with priority placements for children of health care workers, first responders, and frontline workers.
• Public transit is open under certain restrictions, and must be sanitized often and enforce 3 feet of space between passengers.
• Overnight camps are not permitted. Day camps are open with restrictions, including maximum stable groups of 10 or fewer children.
• For summer school, limited in-person, small group instruction and/or summer programming is allowed, with certain restrictions.

https://govstatus.egov.com/reopening-oregon#baseline

Then the site directs you to click on your county for more information specific to rules and regulations regarding reopening in your area.

So I clicked on Multnomah County: And I was met with this notice:

UPDATE: May 15 - Multnomah County continues to be under governor's orders to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19. When restrictions are lifted, we will update information as soon as it becomes available.

Multnomah County is not ready for phase 1 is what I understand.

You can read Multnomah county's "status report" here: https://multco.us/novel-coronavirus-covid-19/reopening-multnomah-county-amid-covid-19

My head is spinning.

If the pandemic doesn't get you, the ever-changing rules and regulations might just drive you mad!

In the midst of my quest for answers to my questions about reopening, I just received an email from Quest Diagnostics promising to give me answers to my covid19 questions by explaining my options for testing. Which, not surprisingly include bypassing the doctor's office and ordering a test kit directly from them!

http://whatcounts.com/dm?id=37835367E272B5C2194964AFBA4C0D737AF9721016DD99D1

Good grief - I need a drink! And it's only 7:00 a.m. And, oh yeah, I don't drink.

Guess I'll get you and walk the dog. Everything I just wrote will probably change in the next 24 hours anyway.

I'm still staying put in my own neighborhood for now.

Talk later...if I am still sane!

Zita