UMATILLA COUNTY — After 21 days on the baseline, Umatilla County is moving back to Phase 1 of reopening starting Friday, Aug. 21, county officials confirmed Aug. 19.

Umatilla County Commissioner George Murdock said Gov. Kate Brown informed the county of her decision the afternoon of Aug. 19.

“We’ve said from Day 1 it takes everybody getting on board and helping, so I think it’s a compliment to the county,” Umatilla County Commissioner George Murdock said of the decision.

While in Phase 1, personal services like salons, barbers and gyms can reopen alongside restaurants and bars welcoming in-person dining until 10 p.m. Indoor social gatherings are limited to 10 people, and cultural, civic and faith gatherings are limited to 50 people regardless of whether they are indoors or outdoors. Other physical distancing and other sanitation guidelines and policies remain in place.

The move comes on the heels of newly reported COVID-19 case numbers declining in recent weeks.

Umatilla County reported 16 new confirmed cases of the virus on Aug. 19, just one day after reporting only nine new cases. That was the first day the county reported less than 10 new cases since June 24, and the county’s seven-day average of newly reported cases (19.4) is at its lowest since June 25.

When Brown sent the county back to the baseline phase on July 31, the county had reported an average of roughly 45 cases per day in the month of July and had a seven-day average of newly reported cases of 48.1.

Citing these declining numbers and additional steps taken by the county in recent weeks, Umatilla County submitted a formal appeal to Brown on Aug. 18, to be moved from the baseline phase all the way back to Phase 2 by this weekend. Its board of commissioners then officially requested that appeal be approved during a meeting on Aug. 19.

“For restaurants, hairdressers, and barbers whose businesses have been devastated, 21 days is a long time, and those who have not closed permanently are anxious to reopen,” the county’s letter to Brown stated. “Our July 31 setback was dramatic and we would hope that we have earned the right to go back to Phase 2, but at least Phase 1 would be an appropriate reward for the cooperation of our citizens.”

Umatilla County was required to stay in the baseline phase for at least 21 days, which it will reach on Aug. 21.

Brown took that “dramatic” action on July 31 in response to Umatilla County having the most cases of COVID-19 per capita in the state at the time, a weekly test positivity rate of 23% and 45% of recent cases not being traced back to a known source.

The state also cited results of a study published July 31 by Oregon State University that concluded up to 18% of Hermiston’s population may have the virus and the county’s unwillingness to voluntarily institute its own restrictions in the decision to send Umatilla County back to baseline.

As of Aug. 19, the Oregon Health Authority lists Umatilla County as second in the state in total cases per capita. And in the two complete weeks since reverting to baseline, Umatilla County’s positive test rate has dropped to 21% in week one, and then to 15.8% in week two, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

“I maintain that our numbers were already trending downward before being placed into baseline, so I think the restrictions that were in place prior to that we’re now seeing the results of that,” said Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer.

According to the epi curve located on its website, Umatilla County Public Health identified July 29 as the peak for when people confirmed with the virus first began showing symptoms.

The decreased numbers eased some stress on contact tracers for the Umatilla County Public Health Department, and the county’s appeal to Brown stated that 78.5% of all cases in the county have now been traced to a known source.

“As those case numbers have dropped, that’s really allowed us to clean up a lot of stuff,” Umatilla County Public Health Director Joe Fiumara said.

Fiumara highlighted that the lighter workload has allowed for more efficient data entry and for public health employees to spend more time working directly with some of the local workplaces that have reported outbreaks.

Going back to baseline also sparked the county to begin a more comprehensive and targeted messaging campaign to communicate the need for local residents and businesses to follow guidelines like wearing face coverings and social distancing.

The county indicated in its appeal to Brown that it’s spent more than $200,000 in a trio of contracts with Pac/West (more than $100,000), the EO Media Group ($88,000) and Meadow Outdoor Advertising ($13,000).

“While complying with the restrictions of baseline, we believe the citizens of Umatilla County have stepped up to the plate and are following the guidelines,” the county’s appeal to Brown stated.

Umatilla County’s reopening status will be reevaluated again in another 21 days, though Murdock said Brown indicated that the county may be able to move to Phase 2 sooner if data trends continue to improve.

But as for reaching other goals like reopening local schools for in-person instruction, Fiumara said the case numbers and data have a long way to go until that will be on the table.

“That’s where our eyes are at but we need to see how this goes,” he said. “We do need to be thoughtful about how this happens so that we don’t go back.”