Oregon Makes Masks In Schools Rules Permanent – But Not Forever

OREGON CITY, OR — One more time. Permanent does **NOT** mean forever.

On Friday, the Oregon Health Authority announced that rules requiring masks in schools and school professionals be vaccinated. are now permanent. At the same time, they announced AGAIN that permanent does not mean forever.

The rules replace temporary ones that expire on February 8.

The state says that the "permanent" rules are necessary because Oregon law does not permit temporary rules to be extended. The law also forbids the filing of a new temporary rule that is similarly worded to the one it replaced.

The thing is, while the rules are called "permanent," they can be suspended and reinstated at any time depending on the need.

Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the state's health officer and epidemiologist, said as Oregon's COVID-19 caseload appears to be reaching its peak and getting ready to start declining, it is crucial to keep the rules in place.

"We need to look at the number of COVID-19-positive folks in the hospital who are receiving care and the impact on the ability of the hospitals to provide care," he said. “What we know right now is that those numbers are still increasing but are anticipated to peak soon, within the next week to week and a half, and then are anticipated to come down rather quickly.

"It also means extending protective measures that were enacted earlier in the pandemic requiring mask wearing in schools and health care settings, and requiring vaccinations for school employees and health care workers and wearing masks in indoor settings."

On Monday, OHA is expected to file a similar rule on Monday. That rule requires health care workers to wear masks and most health care workers to be vaccinated.