In this letter:
- Reopening Updates
- Clackamas and Washington County
- Updated Guidance
- Resources
- Rental Assistance
- PPP
- Focus on Local Business
- Saying Goodbye to a Colleague and a Friend
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Last week, Governor Brown announced that 31 of Oregon’s 36 counties have been approved for Phase 1 of the state’s gradual reopening plan. For many, this is exciting news, but it is important to remember this virus will be with us for a while and is still very much a threat. While Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas were not on the list of approved counties, many of our retail businesses were allowed to reopen on Friday, May 15th. Reopening is not without risk and will require Oregonians to continue acting responsibly.
Oregon businesses need access to personal protective equipment and I have been advocating for the state to assist with buying power of PPE for small businesses. So far, Business Oregon has a vetted provider list and hopefully we'll soon see joint purchasing information.
Phase 1 includes reopening of restaurants and bars, personal services, gyms, and malls. Gatherings of up to 25 people are allowed for recreational, social, cultural, civic or faith events – with physical distancing requirements.
Approved counties will be in Phase 1 for three weeks. If a county in Phase 1 does not see a significant increase in new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, and is able to provide sufficient contact tracing, they will be eligible to move to Phase 2. Oregonians living in these counties should continue wearing face covering, regularly washing hands, and maintaining at least six feet of physical distance from others.
Currently across Oregon stores can open to shoppers again, as long as they aren't in a mall and they follow state COVID-19 health guidelines.
Once a county moves into Phase 1 - Phase 1 will expand opening to restaurants & bars, personal service providers, malls, and gyms & fitness centers. Guidelines for these businesses that can reopen under Phase 1 are available in the following links:
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HD 37 Counties: Clackamas and Washington
While the counties of HD 37 did not apply to reopen last week I have been in touch with the county commissioners and know they are working hard to complete their applications. Washington County Commissioners met on Friday and approved their plan for reopening. You can read more about Washington County’s reopening here and their plan here. Clackamas County commissioners will be discussing their reopening plan at their work session meeting on Tuesday, May 19th at 10am.
The Commissioners in both counties understand the desires of our cities and residents to get our local economies moving again. They recognize people are hurting financially, and are working hard to minimize the damage by helping businesses and residents using the tools available to them. On May 7, Governor Brown outlined the steps to be taken by Oregon counties to begin the reopening process. Seven Prerequisites were identified that must be met before a county or region can enter phase one of Reopening Oregon.
- Declining prevalence of Covid-19
- The number of people with new Covid-19 infections has dropped for two weeks, or there are less than five Covid-19 hospitalizations.
- The county public health division is working with the health system to monitor this data.
- Minimum testing regimen
- Enough capacity to test 30 people for every 10,000 residents with sufficient access to testing facilities by residents.
- Contact tracing system
- Minimum of 15 contact tracers for every 100,000 people.
- The counties are in the process of hiring and training staff.
- Isolation/Quarantine Facilities
- Shelter space for patients who test positive and are unable to self-isolate.
- Finalized Statewide Sector Guidelines
- Sufficient Health Care Capacity
- Medical facilities must be able to handle a 20% increase in COVID-19 cases.
- The healthcare system will provide these details.
- Sufficient PPE Supply
- Hospitals must have a 30-day supply of PPE.
- The healthcare system will provide these details.
We must all remain vigilant and remember the key steps that each of you can take to stay healthy and help counties move to phase one faster: keep washing your hands, remember to wear your mask, and practice social distancing. Declining positive cases help them achieve the prerequisites faster. Here is what is Allowed and Not Allowed in HD 37:
Allowed (must keep 6 feet from others)
- Hospitals, health care, non-urgent procedure
- Grocery stores
- Banks and Credit Unions
- Pharmacies
- Certain retail stores
- Take-out/delivery from restaurants and bars
- Veterinary care and pet stores
- Gas stations
- Outdoor activities like walking your dog, jogging, or biking in your neighborhood
- Child care facilities and babysitters (only if abiding by new rules)
- Some state parks (day-use only)
Not Allowed
- Social gatherings (parties, celebrations) with people from outside of your household
- Dine-in restaurants and bars
- Nightclubs and concerts
- Shopping at outdoor or indoor malls and retail complexes
- Gyms, sports and fitness centers, health clubs, and exercise studios, dance and yoga studios
- Hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, day spas and massage services, non-medical wellness spas, cosmetic stores, tattoo parlors
- Theaters, amusement parks, arcades, bowling alleys, music concerts, sporting events, museums, skating rinks
- Some state parks, playgrounds, some campgrounds, pools, skate parks, festivals
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Updated Guidance
Guidance on Face Coverings
Under new statewide guidance for face coverings, all businesses must provide face coverings and require employees to wear them. In public, all Oregonians must wear a face covering on public transit, and it is strongly recommended that Oregonians wear a face covering in settings like grocery stores where physical distancing is difficult to maintain.
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Summer School and Summer Program Guidance
In an effort to bring students back to classrooms safely, ODE has issued new statewide guidance for in-person instruction for summer school and other summer programs. The guidance ensures that all in-person instruction minimizes health and safety risks while improving student connections and learning. The guidance requires all summer educational settings to develop communicable disease management plans, with measures for infection control, physical distancing, screening for COVID-19 symptoms, and contact tracing.
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Summer Camp Guidance
As Oregon children transition from the school year to summer, OHA has also issued new statewide guidance for the safe operation of summer camps. All camps must have a communicable disease management plan in place for staff and for youth.
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Help Is a Phone Call Away
Every day I'm thinking about everyone who is struggling and finding ways to cope. Please reach out to a friend or a family member for help. There are also resources available 24/7 through Lines For Life. You’re not alone. We are in this together.
SUICIDE LIFELINE
800-273-8255
Text 273TALK to 839863
ALCOHOL & DRUG HELPLINE
800-923-4357
Text RecoveryNow to 839863
MILITARY HELPLINE
888-457-4838
Text MIL1 to 839863
SENIOR LONELINESS LINE
503-200-1633
YOUTHLINE
877-968-8491
Text teen2teen to 839863
Chat at www.oregonyouthline.org
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Rental Assistance
I know many of our friends and neighbors are struggling in the midst of this pandemic. The Oregon Legislature responded to this need last month by dedicating $8.5 million to emergency rental assistance. Additional resources from the federal CARES Act will also support Oregonians through this crisis. Please know that if you or a loved one are behind on rent, struggling to pay utilities, bills, or in need of additional assistance, there are resources that can help. To inquire about these resources, Washington County residents should contact Community Action at (503) 615-0770 and Clackamas County residents should contact Clackamas County Social Services at (503) 655-8640.
Additionally, Governor Kate Brown issued Executive Orders 20-11 and 20-13 to create a temporary moratorium on residential evictions for nonpayment of rent in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Residential evictions have been halted through June 19th and there can’t be fees for nonpayment. The Oregon Law Center and Legal Aid Services of Oregon recently released a helpful video explaining tenant rights during the COVID-19 pandemic. These local legal aid services are open during the pandemic for assistance and to provide additional information.
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Updates on PPP funding in Oregon
Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding is still available to help small businesses continue to pay their employees for up to eight weeks. These loans are forgivable if the guidelines are followed.
We are hearing amazing stories from participating Oregon credit unions and banks who are putting in long hours to help small businesses. As of May 1, financial institutions in Oregon had obtained more than 31,000 loans for small businesses, totaling over $3 billion. The good news is that as of May 8, there was still about $125 billion in funding available. We’d like to see more of that money help Oregon businesses and the families who depend on them.
Contact your financial institution or the SBA to find a local lender who can help you apply.
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Local Business Support
I know the COVID-19 crisis has hit many small businesses, so I have been reaching out to business owners to check in on PPP loans and plans for reopening. If you own a small business in HD 37, I would love to connect with you to hear how your business is coping, and to help in any way I can. Please send me a private message, and I'll get in touch with you. I recently had the pleasure of chatting with the owner of The Tutoring Center, Advance Physical Therapy and The Ale House.
Tutoring Center: The Center Director, Nathaniel McLaughlin reported to me that while they are not tutoring at the Salamo Rd. location, tutors are still working 1:1 with students via zoom. He hopes all students can access the educational support needed during the challenges of distance learning. To Find out more here: https://westlinn.tutoringcenter.com/
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Advance Physical Therapy: Physical Therapists are excited to be seeing patients again. They continue to comply with CDC requirements for COVID-19 safety, cleaning frequently touched surfaces, and wearing masks, shields, and other protective equipment as appropriate. If you are still not sure about going in, you can try their new telehealth platform for a virtual face-to-face visit with your physical therapist. You can request that option when you call to schedule. Check them out here: https://physicaltherapy-portland.com/#locations
Willamette Ale & Cider House: After a long day of calls & meetings, I would love to head to happy hour at the Willamette Ale & Cider House. (Fun fact: The building was once Willamette General Store and was founded in 1915!) While we can’t enjoy a happy hour with friends and family right now, the owner Ann Chay reported they are still open for bottle service 3 days a week. I'll look forward to heading there with my Willamette Ale and Cider House Growler! You can order on their website 24/7: https://www.aleandcider.com/
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Saying Goodbye To a Colleague and a Friend
I will dearly miss my colleague and friend, Representative Mitch Greenlick. The first time I met Mitch was at a ‘Healthcare For All’ event held in his honor where he signed my copy of “Capitol Letters.”
While still a private citizen, I testified before committees of which he was a member advocating for sensible gun legislation and several healthcare issues. At that time I never imagined I would get the honor of serving beside him, learning from him, and becoming a friend. His desk on the house floor and his office were both near mine and there wasn't a week that I didn't check in with him; sometimes asking for guidance as a new legislator, sometimes talking about esoteric issues, and sometimes sharing funny stories. On some occasions I would walk into his office, look at his partner in life, Harriet, who would instinctively know I needed to talk with Mitch. Mitch would lean back in his chair, listen, and always offer advice that pushed me to lead. He knew I admired a picture in his office and in our last week of session he gave it to me knowing his time in the legislature and of this world was coming to an end. This picture now hangs in my office and serves as a guiding light to remind me of how, like Mitch, we should strive to lead with integrity, courage, and empathy. I hope to make him proud.
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Jewish Watchmaker,1914 by Yehuda Pen - Jewish Art Oil Painting Gallery
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Sincerely,
Rachel Prusak
Please email me if you have specific concerns. Our office will do all we can to help and protect all Oregonians.
To read past newsletters, you can go here.
For up-to-date information, please check this link to the Oregon Health Authority.
Governor Brown’s COVID-19 Resource page.
Thank you for reading! We will get through this together.
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