New data: Oregon receives improved marks for COVID-19 containment measures

OSPIRG releases new edition of weekly report based on coronavirus watchdog metics

OSPIRG

SALEM — With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to rise nationally,  OSPIRG released its new Weekly Trends & Risk Assessment Report, showing Oregon is making progress towards containing COVID-19, but the virus is still spreading widely enough to merit caution.This is the third week OSPIRG has provided a snapshot of Oregon’s coronavirus efforts. Last week, Oregon received a “trending poorly” grade. 

However, the improved marks for Oregon are not an indicator of real change on the ground: the national watchdog organization COVID Exit Strategy, who provides the recommendations that support OSPIRG’s analysis, changed their metrics this week to reflect the worsening situation in many states. The group added a fourth color to their grading scale, “bruised red,” indicating states where the spread of the virus has reached uncontrolled levels that cannot be contained through a “test and trace” strategy – requiring new lockdowns to bring the situation under control.

“As we’ve seen in each of the past three weeks, the clear message from public health experts continues to remain the same: Take this pandemic very seriously or suffer dire consequences,” said OSPIRG Health Care Advocate Numi Lee Griffith. “We need to take action now to avoid becoming the next Arizona, Florida, or Texas. That means: (1) closing bars statewide; (2) banning indoor dining; and (3) giving no exemptions to size limits for any type of indoor gathering. We need to act proactively to prevent outbreaks, instead of scrambling to contain them after the fact.”

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OSPIRG is an advocate for the public interest. We speak out for a healthier, safer world in which we’re freer to pursue our own individual well-being and the common good.