Oregon Orders Closure of All Bars and Restaurant Dining Rooms

After initially telling reporters that restaurants and bars wouldn’t be forced to close amid the COVID-19 outbreak in Oregon, the governor announced this afternoon that the state’s restaurants and bars would, in fact, be forced to shutter their dining rooms, and only allowed to offer products for takeout or delivery.

Governor Kate Brown’s executive order will go into effect March 17, and will last for one month. It includes a ban on events and gatherings with more than 25 people, but doesn’t apply to workplaces, hospitals grocery stores, or pharmacies. The governor also urged citizens to avoid gatherings of more than ten people.

The governor is also forming an economic advisory council to “mitigate the impacts of this action and any others that may adversely impact our economy,” seeking help from the Oregon state legislature and federal government.

These mandates come after several other states in the country have instated similar measures, including Washington and Massachusetts. This story will be updated as information becomes available.

• Watch Gov. Kate Brown’s March 16 Press Conference on COVID-19 [Portland Mercury]
• No gatherings of more than 25 people in Oregon for at least 4 weeks, Gov. Kate Brown says [Oregonian]