Brown pauses rollbacks to COVID-19 extreme risk level

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown says starting next week counties that have moved out of the COVID-19 extreme risk level will not be moved back into it without giving them two weeks to improve their case numbers. Brown said in a news release Thursday the pause on rolling back to the extreme level will allow businesses to avoid abrupt closures and other major changes. Brown says if case numbers don’t improve in those two weeks, however, a county will move backward. She says she recognizes the challenges businesses encounter when facing a switch back and forth between extreme risk and other risk levels.