SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown on Aug. 11, ordered face masks worn indoors in public places by everyone age 5 and over beginning Aug. 13. The state will not immediately enforce the rules as people and businesses make the change.

During a press call last week, Brown said the highly contagious delta variant was pushing the virus spread to the point that each infected person was infecting eight others.

“Moving forward, for the immediate future, masks will be required for all indoor public settings,” Brown said.

The mandate applies to adults and children older than 5. On public transit, also includes children older than 2.

Brown also urged, but did not mandate, wearing masks in crowded outdoor situations. She also urged private companies and other organizations to enact their own indoor mask policies.

‘Fifth wave’ across the state

Brown’s order came the day after the Oregon Health & Science University’s infectious disease experts forecast the state could see more than 1,000 COVID-19 patients per day in hospitals by early next month. Oregon would be about 500 staffed beds short of needs for all patients if the rate hit its projected peak of Sept. 7.

Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state epidemiologist, said this “fifth wave” of COVID-19 to hit the state in the past 18 months was different than earlier spikes.

More than half the population is vaccinated, but the “relentless” delta variant was spreading rapidly through the estimated 1.2 million Oregon residents who are not inoculated. That group includes children under 12 for whom there is no federally approved vaccine as yet.

The Oregon Health Authority has reported patients arriving at hospitals are younger, sicker, require more care and stay longer.

“The COVID-19 situation is dire,” Sidelinger said, with the delta variant “far outpacing even the grim scenarios in our latest reported projections.”

The action was a policy U-turn for Brown and the OHA, who had relinquished decisions on COVID-19 restrictions to county supervisors as of June 30.

“I expected local elected officials to step up and do the right thing,” Brown said. “What is clear they are not taking action. That is why we are moving forward.”

Wallowa County Commissioner Todd Nash said he and other commissioners spoke with Brown prior to the mandate going in place about their local communities.

“She was absolutely in agreement with and appreciative of the efforts made here, but wasn’t willing to carve us out as being any different,” he said.

Nash said the mandates were “disappointing,” and said on the call, the governor wanted local officials to step up.

“She wanted some actions from the commissioner or she was going to take action herself. I told her our actions may look different than your actions,” Nash said.

He touted Wallowa County as being successful in protecting its most susceptible population during the pandemic, and noted it has one of the highest vaccination rates among the “frontier counties.”

“In our community we did a good job of making sure our most vulnerable were protected. Our businesses went out of the way” to help, he said, noting, for example, that a number went to measures such as curbside pickup to protect them.

On Monday, Aug. 16, the OHA reported 11 new cases in Wallowa County among the 4,396 in the state over the weekend. The county total now stands at 297, and has added nearly 100 cases in the last month. The 200th case of COVID-19 was reported on July 19.

OHA and OHSU officials have pointed to several counties where no action was taking place despite having infection rates double the state average of 9.5%. The state percentage is already twice the OHA target of no more than 5% that epidemiologists say is the highest rates at which growth of the virus can be kept under control.

Statistics show the highest rates concentrated in two areas: Umatilla, Baker, Union, Malheur and Wallowa counties in eastern Oregon, and Jackson, Josephine, Douglas and Curry counties in southwestern Oregon. Crook County in central Oregon also has twice the state rate.

State employees must be vaccinated

Brown on Tuesday ordered all state executive branch employees will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 18.

“Delta is a different virus — it has changed everything,” Brown said.

But the order does not have a target end date as the delta variant’s impact is still being gauged by state officials.

Wallowa County on Monday, Aug. 16, was reported by OHA as having reached a 50% vaccination rate among all its residents, and 59.9% among those 18 and older.

“I think each individual makes that decision (whether or not to get vaccinated) on their own with their physician,” Nash said. “It’s worthy of having that conversation. I would encourage people to go and talk to their physician on what is the best option for them.”

He added that conversations need to be had about negative effects from the vaccine, even if they are statistically low.

“It is worth talking about,” he said. “People can assess the risk on both sides.”

Ronald Bond of the Wallowa County Chieftain contributed to this report.