Oregon Governor Kate Brown said Thursday morning she will not move forward with a shelter-in-place mandate at this time.
She is, however, working on an interagency group to figure out what businesses are essential. Under many shelter-in-place mandates, including the one in San Francisco, workers are only allowed to leave their homes if they're performing work for an essential business. Brown said she's received dozens, if not more, of requests from businesses asking to be considered essential.
"This is only preparatory," Gov. Brown said. "We are not considering shelter-in-place at this time, but we do want to be prepared.”
When asked if she had specific criteria required to make a shelter-in-place mandate she said she's currently relying on public health experts to help make that decision and as of right now, per conversations she had with them, she said, "Their best information is the aggressive actions I’ve taken will work if Oregonians adhere to them.”
Brown continued to urge Oregonians to follow social distancing orders and group restrictions, saying health experts tell her if that's followed it'll help stop the spread.
In the Thursday morning briefing, the governor also mentioned a mandate requiring Oregon’s higher education schools to move to online learning until April 28.
In addition to this, she said Oregon Parks and Recreation will gradually close all campgrounds. Day use areas will stay open.