Phase two preps

Phase two preps

Explain what this process will look like.

Chynna -- counties approved for phase one have to stay in that phase for 3 weeks before potentially entering the next one.

But -- what does phase two entail?

Although all the specifics are still being worked out and will be based on data collected in phase one -- governor brown laid out 3 new criteria that must be met -- in this letter here -- before we can move forward.

The original requirements include --- lower hospitalization rates for covid-19 then the flu at this time of year.

County's must show a decline in hospitalizations since the beginning of phase one and continue contact tracing.

And --- the county must have the hospital capacity to prepare for a 20 percent surge.

The*new requirements are --- any new case must be contact traced within 24 hours.

Those new cases must be traced to a positive case.

And the number of new cases cannot exceed the testing rate in a county by 5 percent.

I spoke with one springfield resident who says lane county's actions during phase one* prove that we are ready to take the next step.

"its been inbreeded in us now to keep safe distance and to stay healthy we all know that and we are adults and adults can help children lets get back to the way life used to be" if lane county is approved for phase two -- one change would be allowing more office work.

Another is potentially allowing in person gatherings of up to one hundred people -- as long as social distancing is in place.

Finally -- visitation to nursing homes will be allowed with limitations.

Again -- if approved, lane county will enter phase two of reopening as early as next friday.

Coming up on kezi 9 news at five ill tell you why the eugene chamber of commerce says this next step is essential to keeping our economy going.

Reporting live in eugene jillian smukler kezi 9 news.