For four million Oregonians, staying home now could save lives.

On Friday night, March 20, Gov. Kate Brown stopped just short of that at her evening news conference in announcing a new campaign: “Stay Home, Stay Healthy.”

“I am directing Oregonians tonight to stay home to stay healthy,” the governor said.

She made the declaration in a conference in which Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chairwoman Deborah Kafoury participated. Wheeler said he expected to order the residents of his city to end all trips from home that could put people in contact with others. He said he hoped the state too would issue such an order.

State health officials expect to see a rapid increase in the number of people infected with COVID-19, the respiratory disease that is mild for most people but deadly for the vulnerable.

They concede they have no idea how widespread is the disease now. They do know that hospitals don’t have enough beds or supplies to treat the pandemic that by Friday had killed four Oregonians.

The Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems had been pressing the governor to order people to stay home. Other professional health organizations joined that plea.

The reach of any order in Oregon could become more clear with new state announcements expected on Monday, March 23.

Governors in California, Illinois, New York and Connecticut already have by law told their residents to stay home. Such orders have been termed “shelter in place,” but Wheeler said the phrase is being dropped because it’s misleading, indicating people go home, seal themselves in and wait out the emergency.

Through the day Friday, authorities cast the need to stay home as a life-and-death choice.

Renee Edwards, OHSU chief medical officer, told legislators serving on a special committee that Oregonians need to “very seriously” engage in social distancing. That’s generally considered staying at least six feet away from others.

“Every Oregonian, especially healthy Oregonians, can take actions now that will literally save lives,” Edwards said.

Les Zaitz is editor of Salem Reporter and the Malheur Enterprise. Email: les@salemreporter.com.