With thousands of students, family and friends prepared to gather for the University of Oregon’s in-person commencement ceremony, Lane County Public Health has some recommendations to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Spokesperson Jason Davis said graduation parties should be held outdoors, if at all possible. “We understand the need for these celebrations, especially after a couple years of going without,” he said. “There is a way to do these safely. If you are going to have to be in one of those smaller spaces where you can’t maintain 6 feet of distance or there isn’t adequate ventilation, masking is a fantastic measure that you can take to ensure the safety of others and also yourself.”
Given the amount of disease currently circulating, health officials recommend that you wear a mask if you are not vaccinated, are over the age of 65, have a weakened immune system or an underlying medical condition.
Despite the recent increase in Lane County COVID cases, there is some good news. Vaccines, boosters and several COVID treatments to prevent severe disease are readily available. Hospitalizations are far below numbers seen during past peaks. And the public health surveillance system does not currently see any frightening COVID variants on the horizon.
