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Among Oregon counties, Multnomah County has the third-highest vaccination rate among people age 16 and above. But the county containing Portland delayed by a week its application for a low-risk designation for counties with a vaccination rate of at least 65% for people 16 and up.
Benton, Deschutes, Hood River, Lincoln and Washington counties all officially became low-risk counties on Friday, May 21. But Multnomah County, the state’s largest, didn’t join them: It had told state officials and the public that it wanted to wait until May 28, in order to finish crafting an equity plan that ensures vulnerable people of color have access to vaccinations.
But on Friday, as neighboring counties reopened businesses, Multnomah County officials told the state they would rather not wait the entire extra week until May 28 and delay allowing restaurants and venues to serve people more fully. (Under low-risk status, restaurants could move from 25% capacity to 50% capacity. Indoor venues could move from 10% to 50%.)
Instead, the county would like to move to low risk by Wednesday.
“As a result of the work that we’ve done and continue to do to address disparities, we are requesting approval to reopen Multnomah County as soon as the Oregon Health Authority has reviewed and approved our Vaccine Equity Plan,” says the letter signed by Multnomah County Board Chair Deborah Kafoury and the other county commissioners. “We are prepared and eager to reopen before May 28, ideally by Wednesday, May 26.”
It’s not clear why the county needed an extra week to draft an equity plan, given that the county has been focused on at-risk communities throughout the pandemic.
The county has had in place the 2020 COVID-19 BIPOC Plan since last June, and it submitted the plan to OHA as part of the approval process for reopening. The county public health department’s community partners have vaccinated 20,000 people—and roughly 75% of those doses have gone to people who identify as BIPOC. Of the 11,562 vaccinations given directly at county clinics, more than 70% have gone to people who identify as BIPOC.
“More than 65% of county residents have received at least one dose. And that’s something to applaud. But that number masks deep disparities that leave some communities at greater risk than others,” Kafoury said in a statement. “We look forward to reopening, allowing businesses to get back on their feet and people to reconnect. But we have to remember that lower risk doesn’t mean low risk for everyone, and that’s why we took the time we needed to get our equity plan on vaccinations right.”
What’s clearer is that county officials face pressure from businesses that would like to reopen now. Those may include the Portland Trail Blazers, whose NBA playoff games begin today. A change by Wednesday would allow the team to increase capacity to 50% for the first playoff game held in Portland. That game is scheduled for Thursday.
Meanwhile, Gov. Kate Brown made it clear Friday that much of this jockeying will become irrelevant as soon as Oregon vaccinates more people statewide.
Once the state reaches a 70% vaccination rate for ages 16 and above, the governor plans to drop the county risk levels and with them the requirement that businesses check vaccination status to determine if customers should wear masks.
After 70%? Nobody would be required to wear masks indoors.
“My expectation is that we would fully reopen the economy and lift the safety protocol,” said Brown. “Obviously, we will continue to see what the [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] continues to do regarding masking and social distancing, but that is my expectation.”