City of Sisters COVID-19 Situation Report - 7/8/2020

The City of Sisters supports creating a community as safe and prosperous as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The science shows that use of face coverings significantly reduces the spread of the virus, especially in indoor environments.

Governor Brown’s order to wear face coverings in public indoor spaces is an attempt to keep Oregon open. If we cannot diligently exercise social distancing, hand washing, and wear face coverings, while public health officials continue to expand testing and contact tracing, we may move backwards in the phased re-opening.

As we are all hearing, many states around the country are experiencing significant surges in case counts and many are tightening restrictions reminiscent of the beginning of the pandemic. It is critical that everyone embrace the simple act of wearing a face covering in public indoor spaces for their own sake and even more their neighbors and fellow Americans. Regarding enforcement, if it unfortunately comes to that, below is a statement from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office that provides law enforcement service to the City of Sisters.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Lieutenant William Bailey, also serving effective July 1, 2020 as the City of Sisters interim Lieutenant or de facto police chief through the new law enforcement contract, shared a message for the community regarding COVID-19 and face coverings.

“Central Oregon law enforcement agencies have received questions about what our roles are in enforcing the Governor’s order to wear face coverings inside public buildings.

It has always been our goal to help community members understand the health and safety guidelines that have been put into place across Oregon.

Our philosophy of enforcing this and other orders will continue to be education and to seek voluntary compliance.

As the Governor has stated, the expectation is that OSHA Oregon will take the lead in enforcing her facemask requirement.

Law Enforcement will respond to and investigate all calls for service from business owners who report disputes or disturbances related to the face-mask requirement, and then take the appropriate enforcement action if necessary.

Unless the call requires a law enforcement response, call OSHA at the toll-free number, 800-922-2689.”