County Buildings in Phase I Status

For Immediate Release: Monday, June 01, 2020

County buildings reopen, but public urged to contact county offices before visiting

The Washington County government organization is once again allowing in-person visits to several of its buildings this week as the jurisdiction enters Phase I Reopening under Governor Kate Brown’s “Safe and Strong Oregon” order for preventing the spread of the new coronavirus.

Using remote access to county services is still encouraged and employees and the public who physically come inside county buildings will be asked to follow public health guidelines, including wearing face coverings, washing hands and maintaining physical distancing.

“Our employees have done heroic work over the last three months responding to the pandemic and maintaining the essential county functions that our community relies on,” said Interim County Administrator Stephen Rhodes. “Now we need everyone in our community to do their part to protect themselves from the new coronavirus when they are at home, when they are at work and when they might come into our county buildings.”

The public is encouraged to use telephone, email, webpages or other electronic means to conduct business with the organization whenever possible. Should a face-to-face meeting be necessary, the public should call or email before visiting to determine when and how to access county services. In some cases, in-person county services are not yet available. More information about the status of county services can be found on the Washington County website.

The county’s public health division and emergency operations center (EOC) have been engaged in emergency response to the new coronavirus over the last three months. A county emergency declaration to help streamline and coordinate the county’s response has been in effect since March 4, just days after Oregon’s first case of COVID-19 was discovered in Washington County.

County public health officials continue to remind the public about simple steps everyone can take to stop the spread of COVID-19:

• Continue to follow physical distancing guidelines by staying six-feet from others when out in public.
• Wash your hands often with warm running water and soap for 20 seconds.
• If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand wash product.
• Wear facial coverings whenever six-feet of physical distance between people is hard to maintain, especially in grocery stores, shopping malls, pharmacies and any other indoor locations.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes using your sleeve or a tissue, not your bare hand.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Stay home and away from the rest of your household if you’re feeling sick. Additional home guidance is here.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are frequently touched surfaces at home and at work, including your mobile devices.
• Follow the Governor’s “Safe and Strong Oregon” order.
• Answer your phone if you see that Washington County Public Health is calling as part of our contact tracing efforts.

Health officials also ask that the public stay informed and educated through trustworthy sources of information, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Oregon Health Authority and Washington County Public Health Division.

General questions about COVID-19 can be answered by calling 2-1-1. Questions about your specific medical needs should be directed to your health care provider. Questions about becoming a contact tracer, finding resources, equity concerns, requesting enforcement and other matters can be found here.

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