Oregon Mask Mandate Becoming Permanent?

Oregon State is preparing to implement the strictest mask mandate yet, in the United States.
According to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), they met last week to create a draft of rules making the state mask mandate permanent for indoor public places.
The Health Authority’s Rules Advisory Committee met with business leaders, faith leaders, and stakeholders last week to discuss the worryingly worded draft of the new mandate, which will be released mid-December.
While Oregon remains one of the few liberal states requiring masks in public places for the vaccinated, they lifted the outdoor mask mandate just last week.
Approximately 80% of Oregon’s population is vaccinated, and one of six states continuing to require masks inside––even for the vaccinated.
According to Dr. Paul Cieslak, the medical director for infectious diseases and immunizations with OHA, the authority had to use the terminology because they could only have a temporary rule for a maximum of six months, while they wanted to be able to extend it past that if necessary.
‘Permanent means indefinite. It doesn’t necessarily mean permanent,’ Dr. Cieslak said. ‘We can repeal it as well, but we are only allowed to have a temporary rule for 180 days, and anything that goes beyond 180 days, we cannot extend it.’
However, Dr. Cieslak was also quick to assure that permanent didn’t actually mean forever.
Oregon residents will have the opportunity to comment in late December, with a public hearing sometime in mid-January.
Meanwhile, Oregon’s Governor has been seen hob-nobbing at different events all around the country, maskless.