Fall and winter can mean traveling and gathering indoors with friends and family. These guidelines can help us keep each other safe from COVID-19.

Gathering safely

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Make a plan to limit your risk of getting COVID-19

Some activities are more risky than others. Here are guidelines and risk levels to help you and your loved ones plan and stay safe from COVID-19.

Related pages

Guidelines:

  1. Get vaccinated. Vaccination is our best protection to keep people from getting very sick from all variants of COVID-19.

  2. Wear a mask indoors.

  3. When outdoors, consider wearing a mask and staying 6 feet apart when you are spending time in crowds or gatherings, especially if you are not vaccinated, have an underlying medical condition that puts you at higher risk of serious illness or live with someone in one of these categories (read the health guidance here).

  4. Wash your hands as often as you can.

  5. Disinfect surfaces that are touched often -- door knobs, car doors, steering wheels and phones.

  6. Know the symptoms of COVID-19 and the phone number of a health care provider or community health worker you can call if someone gets sick. If you don’t have a health care provider, call 211.

  7. Make a plan so that if someone at home does get sick, they can be isolated as much as possible until they recover.

Risk levels:

Until everyone gets the vaccine, there are still steps we all can take to protect our communities from getting very sick from COVID-19.

Low risk

  • Staying home

  • Spending time outdoors by yourself

  • Spending time with people you live with

  • Spending time with people you don’t live with, but who have also been vaccinated

  • Spending time outdoors with others and staying 6 feet apart

Medium risk

  • Spending time indoors in public spaces while vaccinated, wearing a mask and staying 6 feet apart

High risk

  • Not being vaccinated

  • Spending time in crowds and gatherings without wearing a mask

  • Spending time indoors or within 6 feet outdoors with people who have also not been vaccinated

Masks & face coverings:

As of March 12, 2022: Masks, face coverings or face shields are no longer required in most settings in Oregon, including in businesses, faith institutions, K-12 schools and childcare settings.

Masks and face coverings are still required in health care and some other settings.

Everyone 5 years of age and older is required to wear a mask or face covering, and children between 2 and 5 years old are strongly encouraged to wear a mask or face covering, in the following settings:

  • Hospitals

  • Doctor offices

  • Pharmacy windows and waiting areas

  • Dentist offices

  • Urgent care facilities

  • Long-term care and assisted living facilities

  • Behavioral health residential programs

  • Counseling, recovery and rehabilitation centers

  • Dialysis centers

  • School-based health centers

  • Any office where health care is provided

  • In addition, senior centers or independent living facilities may continue to require a mask, face covering or face shield, and physical distancing. Providers of in-home care, home health care or hospice services are still required to wear a mask or face covering when providing care.

Some businesses, organizations, schools, cities and counties also may continue to require a mask. CDC recommends that people wear masks in indoor public transportation settings at this time.

Who should continue to wear a mask?

Even though masks are no longer required in most public settings across Oregon, they are still effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses. Many people in Oregon will choose to continue to wear masks.

It is recommended you continue to wear a mask and stay 6 feet from others if you:

  • Are not vaccinated

  • Are over the age of 65

  • Have a weakened immune system

  • Have an underlying medical condition that puts you at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19

  • Live with someone in one of these categories

We support everyone’s right to choose to wear a mask.

What can I do if someone harasses me for continuing to wear a mask?

Harassment, bias, exclusion or other harmful reactions to people wearing face coverings, whether required or not, may be against Oregon law.

If you believe you’ve experienced a hate or bias crime or incident because of wearing a mask, face covering or face shield, or not wearing a mask, face covering or face shield in public, there are resources to help you.

  • To report a bias crime, call your local law enforcement non-emergency line.

  • To report a bias incident, call the Oregon Department of Justice at 844-924-BIAS (2427).

  • To file a civil rights complaint, visit the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) or call 971-673-0764.

  • For more information, go to StandAgainstHate.Oregon.gov.

  • If you are hearing impaired, call 711 for Oregon Relay

Gathering with friends and family

Many gatherings are a time of fellowship and celebration. With vaccinations and boosters now readily available, the risk of infection is different for everyone. If you and the people you gather with are up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, your risks will be lower. But some vaccinated people still get sick with COVID-19 or can spread it to others. So here are some ways to stay safe during gatherings no matter the occasion.

  • Get vaccinated and stay up-to-date with a booster when you are eligible to protect yourself and those around you.

  • It’s okay to ask if others are vaccinated before getting together with people you don’t live with. You can choose to stay home or find other ways to connect if you feel nervous.

  • Masks are no longer required in most public settings (see where they are still required here), but they are still effective at reducing the spread of COVID-19. It is recommended you continue to wear a mask and stay 6 feet from others when gathering if you:

    • Are not vaccinated

    • Are over age 65

    • Have a weakened immune system

    • Have an underlying medical condition that puts you at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19

    • Live with someone in one of these categories

  • Avoid poorly ventilated spaces, especially when in a crowd.

  • Keep the air flowing by opening windows or running a fan or air purifier if possible.

  • Get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.

  • Stay home if you’re feeling sick or unwell, and don’t host any gatherings.

  • Wash your hands often.

Travel

  • Only travel once you are fully vaccinated, and boosted if you are eligible.

  • Because you are likely to be exposed to COVID-19, consider continuing to wear a mask (everyone 2 and older) on public transportation and while in airports and bus or train stations.

  • Wash your hands often and stay 6 feet apart from others when possible.

  • Get tested 1–3 days before your trip if traveling unvaccinated and avoid gathering in crowds before and during travel.

Underlying medical conditions / weakened immune systems

Take extra care if you have an underlying medical condition that puts you at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 or if you take medications that weaken your immune system.

It is recommended that you continue to wear a mask that fits snugly over your nose and mouth whenever you’re around people, even if you’re fully vaccinated and have had a booster.

We hope you’ll stay safe and healthy during gatherings all year long. Find vaccine and boosters by calling 211, visiting your local pharmacy or doctor’s office, or using GetVaccinated.Oregon.gov.