The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners released the following statement today in regard to the county’s application for Phase 1 reopening from the Covid-19 shutdowns.
Dear Clackamas County residents:
On Tuesday, the Board of County Commissioners approved the Phase 1 reopening application for Clackamas County. Our plan – which was officially submitted hours later – centers on meeting the state’s requirements. You can see the plan, and the county’s progress with each prerequisite, at www.clackamas.us/coronavirus/reopening.
To be very clear: Clackamas County has not yet moved into Phase 1. The state will let us know when that happens. Once Clackamas County does enter Phase 1, we must remain in it for a period of 21 days. Phase 2 guidelines are unknown to us at this time and are being worked out by the state. We are looking forward to the Governor approving our Phase 1 application as soon as possible.
We need your help and assistance. We do our best to manage Clackamas County and ensure that systems are in place to safeguard us all during this outbreak, and we try to be as innovative as possible to meet your needs. But a social contract exists that is magnified during this critical time. The responsibility for safety – not just individual, but communal safety – resides with the public until we have a vaccine.
Our county has been successful in limiting exposure because of your actions. Practicing safe social distancing, wearing masks in public, not congregating in groups … it is only through these practices that we remain in decent shape. And it is only through your continued actions and abiding by these common-sense protocols that we will open our economy back up while remaining safe.
The worst possible outcome is a future spike in COVID-19 cases that could necessitate moving backward and closing again. This is a nightmare scenario we must avoid. We must not risk sacrificing others or the future of our businesses by circulating in the community any more than is essential.
Every action we take is what we believe is best for the community. Please help us and do your part to achieve communal safety and set our economy on the right track again.
