Oregon’s most populous county issues indoor mask requirement

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — As COVID-19 cases in Oregon surge and hospitals fill up, officials in the state’s most populous county announced on they are reimplementing an indoor mask mandate.

People 5 and older — vaccinated and unvaccinated — in Multnomah County will be required to wear masks in indoor public spaces including stores, restaurants and gyms.

The mandate announced Monday goes into effect on Friday. I

n addition, officials say that “for the first time” the mandate will be “accompanied by an enforcement mechanism” that includes up to $1,000 fines.

The county’s decision to reimplement mask mandates comes as Oregon physicians and nurses say they are overwhelmed and that hospital space is severely limited as more and more people need care due to COVID-19.