Mask Wearing

For Immediate Release: Friday, August 06, 2021

People visiting or working in county buildings must wear masks

En español

In preparing for the long-term presence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the community, Washington County is requiring mask wearing, physical distancing and other public health measures for everyone – regardless of their vaccination status – who visits or works within Washington County buildings. Mask wearing will also be required for employees working outdoors whenever large groups of people are gathered. 

The county is urging businesses and other organizations to implement these same preventive measures voluntarily, but these actions are not being required communitywide at this time.

The proactive steps the county is implementing were prompted by the rapid increase in infections from the Delta variant of COVID-19, largely among unvaccinated people. The Delta variant, which is two- to three-times more transmissible than prior viral strains, has become the dominant form of the virus. 

Unvaccinated individuals can include children (who are ineligible for any of the vaccines currently available) and those still feeling uncertain about the vaccine or facing other barriers to getting vaccinated.

“Washington County’s core purpose is to serve the public, but we cannot do that if our actions end up helping spread a sometimes deadly yet preventable disease,” said County Administrator Tanya Ange. “By continuing to follow public health recommendations grounded in science and data, we can do our part to help our community learn to live with COVID-19 – as I know we have been trying so hard to do for these past 18 months.” 

Washington County is urging members of the public to use alternatives to visiting county facilities wherever possible until the number of COVID-19 cases decrease. Instead of making a physical appearance in county facilities, the public is asked to call, email or use virtual platforms to access county services. Washington County’s main phone number is 503-846-8681. 

If a visit to a county building is needed in order to access county services, several required protective measures will be in effect, including mask wearing, physical distancing and conference room capacity limits. More information about how county services may be accessed can be found on the Washington County website.

Washington County public health officials have seen a notable surge in the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the last four weeks, although fully vaccinated individuals have not tended to be part of this trend. 

“Virtually all deaths and hospitalizations in the U.S. are among unvaccinated people,” said Washington County Chief Epidemiologist Kimberly Repp, Ph.D. “Breakthrough cases of COVID-19 can occur in fully vaccinated people, but these cases are rare and tend to result in mild illness.”

Although Washington County continues to lead the state with 76% of those 18 years old or older having been vaccinated, nearly 100,000 people 12 years old or older remain unvaccinated according to Washington County Public Health.  

“As we prepare for the virus potentially being with us for a long time, we also have to remember that getting vaccinated remains the single-most effective step any of us can take to finally put the pandemic behind us,” said Ange.

More information about COVID-19 vaccine and places where it is available can be found at: www.co.washington.or.us/vaccine. Additional steps everyone can take to prevent the spread of the virus can be found at www.co.washington.or.us/covid-19. Community members looking for information about the vaccine or trying to find a community vaccination event close to home can call the Washington County Vaccine Help Line, supported in multiple languages, at: 833-907-3520.

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