Governor announces new COVID-19 measures

Gov. Kate Brown announced new limits on indoor gatherings at a news conference Wednesday.

Starting Friday, July 24, indoor gatherings will be limited to 100 people, and restaurant and bar service will be required to end at 10 p.m. Outdoor gatherings remain limited to 250 people.

In addition, face coverings will now be required for children ages five or older in indoor public spaces and outdoors where six feet of physical distance cannot be maintained.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger said the new measures will help slow the spread of the virus without shutting down the entire state.

"Our models told us we would see more infections, more hospitalizations and more deaths when we reopened. And that’s what we continue to see," Sidelinger said. "Without a vaccine, these social mitigation strategies are the best tools we have to slow the spread."