COVID-19 Pandemic In Portland, Oregon
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The
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
was confirmed to have reached
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
in the U.S. state of
Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
on February 28, 2020.


Background

The
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
is an ongoing
pandemic A pandemic ( ) is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has a sudden increase in cases and spreads across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. Widespread endemic (epi ...
of
coronavirus disease 2019 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include f ...
(COVID-19), caused by
severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) is a strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the respiratory illness responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus previously had the Novel coronavirus, provisional nam ...
(SARS-CoV-2). The outbreak started in
Wuhan Wuhan; is the capital of Hubei, China. With a population of over eleven million, it is the most populous city in Hubei and the List of cities in China by population, eighth-most-populous city in China. It is also one of the nine National cent ...
,
Hubei Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland ...
province,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, in December 2019. The
World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
(WHO) declared the outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020 and a pandemic on 11 March 2020. As of , more than cases of COVID-19 have been reported in more than 200 countries and territories, resulting in more than deaths. The pandemic was first confirmed to have spread to the United States in January 2020. Cases have been confirmed in all fifty U.S. states,
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, and all inhabited
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except
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. , the U.S. had the most confirmed active cases in the world and ranks third in the number of total deaths from the virus.


Timeline of cases

Oregon's first presumptive case was announced in Portland on February 28, 2020. Governor
Kate Brown Katherine Brown (born June 21, 1960) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 38th governor of Oregon from 2015 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she served three terms as the state representative from the 13th distr ...
spoke and the director of the Oregon Health Authority confirmed someone from Washington County who worked at Forest Hills Elementary School in
Lake Oswego Lake Oswego ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon, primarily in Clackamas County, Oregon, Clackamas County, with small portions extending into neighboring Multnomah County, Oregon, Multnomah and Washington County, Oregon, Washington counties ...
was being treated at Hillsboro's Kaiser Westside Medical Center. The Lake Oswego School District closed the school for cleaning. The first case in
Multnomah County Multnomah County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 815,428. Multnomah County is part of the Portland metropolitan area. The state's smallest and most populous county, it ...
and fifteenth in Oregon was confirmed on March 10; the patient was treatment at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. An employee who worked at the
Wells Fargo Center Wells Fargo Center may refer to: * Wells Fargo Center (Los Angeles), California * Wells Fargo Center (Sacramento), California * Wells Fargo Center (San Francisco), California * Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, California * Wells Fargo C ...
tested positive on March 14, prompting building tenant
Davis Wright Tremaine Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is an American business and litigation law firm. Founded in 1944, the firm is a limited liability partnership and employs over 500 lawyers. Davis Wright Tremaine is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and has offices i ...
to close offices in Portland. More than 30 people in the Portland metropolitan area tested positive by April 1. The Healthcare at Foster Creek nursing home in southeast Portland was Oregon's largest coronavirus death cluster, as of mid April, with 50 confirmed cases and 14 deaths. The Oregon Department of Human Services identified many safety violations. On April 30, eleven cases were confirmed among the transient population in the Portland area. In May, the family of a man who died at Healthcare at Foster Creek sued for $2.4 million. Researchers at OHSU have suggested Oregon's outbreak "had one of the most diverse origin stories known so far in the United States".


Government response

On March 13, the
Portland Police Bureau The Portland Police Bureau (PPB), officially the Portland Bureau of Police, is the law enforcement agency of the city of Portland, Oregon, Portland, the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of September 2024, the Bureau has around 800 ...
announced a reduction of in-person responses to reduce virus transmission.
Multnomah County Library Multnomah County Library is the public library system serving Portland, Oregon, Portland and Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. A continuation of the Library Association of Portland, established in 1864, the system now has 19 branches offer ...
closed all branch libraries and Portland Parks and Recreation (PPR) closed arts and community centers, sports facilities, and swimming pools, based on recommendations issued by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the National public health institutes, national public health agency of the United States. It is a Federal agencies of the United States, United States federal agency under the United S ...
, Multnomah County Health Department, and the Oregon Health Authority. PPR canceled athletic programs and indoor activities at community centers, but did not close golf courses, natural areas, parks, playgrounds, or trails, or cancel outdoor events for less than 250 people. Portland Police have received 469 reports of social distancing violation between March 25, and April 14, yet have issued zero citations. The police reasoned that it would overburden the criminal justice system and compared the enforcement to enforcing every traffic violation being reported. In comparison,
Manhattan Beach, California Manhattan Beach is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States, on the Coastal California, Pacific coast south of El Segundo, California, El Segundo, west of Hawthorne, California, Hawthorne and Redondo Beach, and north ...
have issued 129 citations over a weekend in early April. Portland's Benson Bubblers were turned off from March 13 to April 17, based on the recommendations of the Multnomah County Health Department. On March 17, Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury announced plans to add as many as 400 beds for county residents affected by the pandemic requiring shelter. 120 beds were made available at the PPR-owned Charles Jordan Community Center in north Portland on March 19. Metro's Oregon Convention Center, unable to host events since March 12, was converted into a temporary shelter with 130–140 beds. The Joint Office of Homeless Services, a collaboration between the City of Portland and Multnomah County, hoped to open additional beds for healthy individuals as overflow from existing shelters. Trucks normally used by Multnomah Country Library and for animal control were repurposed to assist with the convention center conversion. On March 22, Mayor
Ted Wheeler Edward Tevis Wheeler (born August 31, 1962) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 53rd mayor of Portland, Oregon, from 2017 to 2025. A moderate member of the Democratic Party, Wheeler served as the state treasurer of Ore ...
said he was prepared to issue a
stay-at-home order A stay-at-home order, safer-at-home order, movement control order – also referred to by loose use of the terms quarantine, isolation, or lockdown – is an order from a government authority that restricts movements of a population as a mass qu ...
for Portland residents if Governor Brown would not issue a similar order for Oregon. The governor was also pressured by 25 Portland-area mayors, Metro's council, multiple county chairs, and other elected and health officials. She issued an executive order on March 23 requiring home isolation for Oregonians, with some exceptions, and to practice
social distancing In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious dise ...
. Violators may be punished with 30 days in jail and fines as high as $1,250 as a class C
misdemeanor A misdemeanor (American English, spelled misdemeanour elsewhere) is any "lesser" criminal act in some common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished less severely than more serious felonies, but theoretically more so than admi ...
. The Portland Police Bureau confirmed criminal citations were a "last resort measure". The police have issued a statement to the public to not call 911 to report violations of stay-at-home order, but to call the non-emergency line. In March, city official extended the Portland Arts Tax deadline from April 15 to July 15, 2020. In early April, city officials cut approximately 950 jobs because of a potential revenue loss of as much as $100 million. Most of the jobs were seasonal and part of the parks department, including art and fitness instructors as well as lifeguards. Portland officials also asked state authorities to forgive missed mortgage and rent payments. In late April, Chloe Eudaly and the Portland Bureau of Transportation announced plans to shut down 100 miles of streets to automobile traffic to encourage social distancing for bicyclists and pedestrians. The project is officially called the "Slow Streets, Safe Streets initiative". Additionally, the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle (DMV) Services confirmed plans to close most offices. Six field offices, including one in southeast Portland, continued to operate "by appointment only for limited commercial driver licensing services". In mid May, Portland Parks & Recreation confirmed all camps, public swimming pools, and recreation centers would remain closed through the summer.
Clackamas County Clackamas County ( ) is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 421,401, making it Oregon's third-most populous county. Its county seat is Oregon City. The county was named after the na ...
became the first of the three most populous counties in the Portland metropolitan area to reopen on May 23, 2020. Bars, gyms, restaurants, and other businesses could operate if specific safety criteria were met. Multnomah County's application to reopen on June 12 was rejected by Governor Brown on June 11.


Economic impact

Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its ...
reduced flights between Portland and Japan. United Airlines cut 4 of 20 flights from Portland as well as one from Eugene.
Sun Country Airlines Sun Country Airlines is an ultra-low cost airline in the United States. Based at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport with headquarters on airport property, Sun Country operates to about 140 destinations in the United States, Canad ...
reduced flights between Portland and Honolulu, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. School closures and event cancellations prompted people to stock up on groceries. Long lines were seen at grocery stores and food pantries throughout the Portland metropolitan area. Local
cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...
dispensaries saw an increased demand as customers stocked up in case stores were forced to close temporarily. The
Oregon Liquor Control Commission The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC), formerly known as the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, is a government agency of the U.S. state of Oregon. The OLCC was created by an act of the Oregon Legislative Assembly in 1933, days after ...
(OLCC) permitted stores to operate via curbside pick-up and home delivery temporarily. OLCC suspended the enforcement of the
Oregon Bottle Bill The Oregon Bottle Bill is a container-deposit legislation enacted in the U.S. state of Oregon in 1971 that went into effect in October 1972. It was the first such legislation in the United States. It was amended in 2007 and 2011. It requires ...
on March 15 so that grocers can focus on restocking, sanitation and social distancing management. Grocers may elect to not accept bottle returns during this period. The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) which operates beverage container redemption centers throughout Oregon is keeping their centers open. The enforcement suspension remains in effect until two weeks after the county in which retailer is located enters phase 1 of reopening. ''
The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the West Coast of the United States, U.S. West Coast, founded as a weekly by Tho ...
'' reported on April 23 that the City of Portland has been operating a bottle return site at an "undisclosed site in North Portland" based at one of the city's clinic that provides drug addicts with services such as clean syringes and opioid overdose antidote. On March 28, Oregon temporarily lifted the prohibition on self-pump at gas stations to ensure fuel is available during staffing issues related to the pandemic. Stations are allowed to let customers pump their own gas through May 9.


Business closures and event cancellations

Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized in all lowercase since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the ...
closed offices at Montgomery Park and Portland Village after two employees had close content with someone who tested positive.
Powell's Books Powell's Books is a chain of bookstores, based in Portland, Oregon, Portland, Oregon. Their flagship store, dubbed Powell's City of Books, claims to be the largest independent bookstore, independent new and used bookstore in the world. In addit ...
five stores closed, and laid off most staff members. Portland Incubator Experiment canceled PIE Demo Day; the March 19 event scheduled to be held at Revolution Hall was held online. On March 25, Daimler Truck North America shut down a plant on Swan Island until April 6. Portland-based companies
Puppet A puppet is an object, often resembling a human, animal or Legendary creature, mythical figure, that is animated or manipulated by a person called a puppeteer. Puppetry is an ancient form of theatre which dates back to the 5th century BC in anci ...
and Vacasa laid off employees. In April,
Evraz EVRAZ plc () is a UK-incorporated multinational steel manufacturing and mining company part-owned by Russian oligarchs. It has operations mainly in Russia as well as the USA, Canada, and Kazakhstan. Its listing on the London Stock Exchange (LS ...
announced plans to lay off 230 employees at a Portland steel plant, and Precision Castparts Corp. confirmed plans to close its main Portland site. Oaks Amusement Park and the Oaks Park Roller Skating Rink, the
Oregon Historical Society The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) is an organization that encourages and promotes the study and understanding of the history of the State of Oregon, within the broader context of U.S. history. Incorporated in 1898, the Society collects, pres ...
, the
Oregon Zoo The Oregon Zoo, originally the Portland Zoo and later the Washington Park Zoo, is a zoo in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is located in Washington Park, approximately southwest of downtown Portland. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest zoo ...
, and Portland Japanese Garden closed as well but all eventually reopened. The Portland Children's Museum closed permanently. The Crystal Ballroom and Hawthorne Theatre canceled or postponed planned shows through mid April. The City Club of Portland canceled activities. The Portland Rose Festival has postponed annual events, including the Starlight Parade, indefinitely. The American Herbal Products Association's Hemp-CBD Congress, scheduled for mid April at the Benson Hotel, was canceled. The Road Runners Club of America's annual convention, slated to be held at the Hilton Portland Hotel during March 19–22, was also canceled. A conference on
affordable housing Affordable housing is housing which is deemed affordable to those with a household income at or below the median, as rated by the national government or a local government by a recognized housing affordability index. Most of the literature on ...
, climate, and community stability featuring Julian Castro during April 2–4 was canceled. TechfestNW was to be held at
Portland State University Portland State University (PSU) is a public research university in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1946 as a post-secondary educational institution for World War II veterans. It evolved into a four-year college over the next ...
during April 2–3, but was rescheduled for August 6–7. April 11's Cider Rite of Spring was rescheduled for November, and Design Week Festival was moved from the week starting April 18 to August 1–8. The arts and technology festival XOXO scheduled for September has been canceled. Pride Northwest's annual
pride parade A pride parade (also known as pride event, pride festival, pride march, or pride protest) is an event celebrating lesbian, Gay men, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) social and self-acceptance, achievements, LGBT rights by country o ...
has been postponed, and the Portland Retro Gaming Expo has been canceled. The
Waterfront Blues Festival The Waterfront Blues Festival is an annual event in Portland, Oregon, United States, featuring four days of performances by blues musicians. The festival started in 1988 and takes place in Tom McCall Waterfront Park, along the west bank of the W ...
, slated for July 2–5, was canceled on March 25. While cheer and dance competitions were still being held at the Oregon Convention Center in early March, many events planned to be hosted at the venue were canceled. On February 5, the Materials Show scheduled for February 12–13 was canceled. Gem Faire and the Multnomah County Democrats' annual Celsi Celebration slated for the weekend of March 21 were also canceled. On March 6, organizers of the Go West Summit, an international travel conference for March 24–27 expecting approximately 800 people, was postponed. The Oregon Dental Association's annual Oregon Dental Conference for April 2–4 was canceled. On March 9, the Burning Cat event being organized by the company behind the card game Exploding Kittens for May was canceled. On March 14, the newspaper '' Portland Mercury'' suspended print publications until further notice. On March 23, restrictions prompted the closures of amusement parks, barber shops, bowling alleys, gyms, hair and nail salons, malls, spas, and theaters. In late April, activists and organizers of Portland's annual May Day protests in conjunction with
International Workers' Day International Workers' Day, also called Labour Day in some countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of Wage labour, labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every yea ...
moved to host a "Virtual May Day Rally" on May 1. In May, organizers of Feast Portland announced the event would not be held as usual in September. The Portland Rose Festival held an online 'Opening Night Concert and Fireworks' event on May 22. The
gay bar A gay bar is a Bar (establishment), drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+) clientele; the term ''gay'' is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBTQ+ communi ...
and nightclub CC Slaughters announced plans to close indefinitely in October 2020.


Film industry and the performing arts

Local movie theaters were forced to close temporarily. Among them were Cinema 21 and Laurelhurst Theater, which was unable to continue operating with capacity limits and social distancing measures, despite efforts. On March 13, the Hollywood Theatre confirmed plans to close from March 14 to April 8; previously, the theater was limiting capacity to 250 people per Oregon's ban on events and other social gatherings. Movie Madness Video, a
video rental shop A video rental shop/store is a physical retail business that rents home videos such as movies, prerecorded TV shows, video game cartridges/discs and other media content. Typically, a rental shop conducts business with customers under conditi ...
and
history of film The history of film chronicles the development of a visual art, visual art form created using history of film technology, film technologies that began in the late 19th century. The advent of film as an artistic medium is not clearly defined. Th ...
museum, closed and waived late fees on rentals. Cinema 21 later allowed people to stream independent films at home. The
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (opened as the Portland Publix Theatre before becoming the Paramount Theatre after 1930) is a historic theater building and performing arts center in Portland, Oregon, United States. Part of the Portland Center ...
and Brunish Theatre at Antoinette Hatfield Hall closed, forcing the
Oregon Symphony The Oregon Symphony is an American symphony orchestra based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded as the "Portland Symphony Society" in 1896, it is the sixth oldest orchestra in the United States, and oldest in the Western United States. It ...
to cancel performances. Initially, the symphony canceled performances between March 13 and April 6. 76 musicians, two conductors, and 19 staff members were laid off, and the organization's
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
and
chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
has submitted an appeal for funding to Governor Brown. Portland Center Stage canceled productions for eight weeks (through April 8) and furloughed 78 people.
Portland Opera Portland Opera is an American opera company based in Portland, Oregon. Its performances take place in the Keller Auditorium and Newmark Theatre, both part of the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. Portland Opera also produces a separate su ...
canceled March 20–28 performances of '' Bajazet'' at Antoinette Hatfield Hall's Newmark Theatre. The arts center Disjecta canceled or postponed activities. The
Northwest Film Center PAM CUT–Center for an Untold Tomorrow, formerly the ''Northwest Film Center'' is a regional media arts resource and service organization based in Portland, Oregon, United States that was founded to encourage the study, appreciation, and utilizat ...
closed and the Portland International Film Festival was canceled. The Old Church has postponed concerts through April 8, forcing
Chamber Music Northwest Chamber Music Northwest (CMNW) is an American non-profit organization in Portland, Oregon, dedicated to the performance and promotion of chamber music. In addition to its annual Summer Festival, the organization also presents individual chamber ...
to reschedule some performances.


Food service and restaurant industry

The city's restaurant industry was strongly impacted by the state's bar and restaurant ban. Governor Brown banned in-house consumption across Oregon, effective March 17. Some restaurants closed entirely, while others implemented
food delivery Food delivery is a courier service in which a restaurant, store, or independent food-delivery company delivers food to a customer. An order is typically made either by telephone, through the supplier's website or mobile app, or through a thir ...
and
take-out A take-out (US, Canada, Philippines) or takeaway (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) is a prepared meal or other food items purchased at a restaurant or fast food outlet with the intent to eat elsewhere. A concept found in many ancient cultures, take ...
operations. Acadia: A New Orleans Bistro, Doug Fir Lounge, Ken's Artisan Pizza,
Le Bistro Montage Le Bistro Montage, or simply Montage, was a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. Description and History Characterized as quirky, and long a favorite of the late night crowd, it featured communal dining and eclectic Cajun fare such as ...
,
Le Pigeon Le Pigeon is a French bistro in Portland, Oregon's Buckman, Portland, Oregon, Buckman neighborhood, in the United States. History Le Pigeon was previously known as Colleen's Bistro. Head chef Gabriel Rucker invested in the restaurant and became ...
, Nostrana, Olympia Provisions,
Pok Pok Pok Pok was a group of Thai restaurants based in Portland, Oregon, founded and led by chef Andy Ricker. Pok Pok won both local recognition and major industry awards, with ''The Oregonian'' describing the restaurant as "one of those quintessenti ...
, Salt & Straw, and
Screen Door A screen door can refer to a hinged storm door (cold climates) or hinged screen door (warm climates) covering an exterior door, or a screened sliding door used with sliding glass doors. A screen door incorporates screen mesh to block birds, flyi ...
all closed temporarily. Hot Lips Pizza, Oven and Shaker, and Sizzle Pie continued pizza pickup and delivery service, as of March 27. Shine Distillery and Grill began producing
hand sanitizer Hand sanitizer (also known as hand antiseptic, hand disinfectant, hand rub, or handrub) is a liquid, gel, or foam used to kill viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms on the hands. It can also come in the form of a cream, spray, or wipe. W ...
from alcohol for customers. The website 'PDX2Go' was created to track businesses still accepting orders, and some food carts continued to operate. The Liberty Glass, a bar and "neighborhood institution" in north Portland, closed permanently in mid April "due to COVID-19-related financial concerns". Twelve of 27 laid off Crush Bar employees staged a protest and accused the owner of " reakingthe law by denying their use of accrued sick hours to cover lost wages". The demonstration was supposed to last for 24 hours but was stopped by police after an hour. The
strip club A strip club (also known as a strip joint, striptease bar, peeler bar, gentlemen's club, among others) is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease and other erotic dances including lap dances. St ...
Lucky Devil Lounge continued to offer a full menu with home delivery service by "scantily clad strippers" under the business operation Boober Eats. Approximately 25 strippers have participated; dancers are driven and protected by security guards, armed with gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer, and touching by customers is not allowed. In late April, RingSide Steakhouse sold frozen boxes of steak directly to the general public for the first time in 75 years. The move caused a mile-long traffic jam along West Burnside Street, and products sold out in less than 2.5 hours. Ringside repeated the sale the following month, this time accepting reservations online to avoid the traffic jam. By early May, a few restaurants had confirmed plans to close permanently, including Clyde Common (which ended up re-opening with outdoor seating and as a market in July). Later that month, Wong's King and the five restaurants owned by David Machado, including Altabira City Tavern and Nel Centro, confirmed plans to close permanently. The respective owners of Bluehour, Irving Street Kitchen,
Le Bistro Montage Le Bistro Montage, or simply Montage, was a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. Description and History Characterized as quirky, and long a favorite of the late night crowd, it featured communal dining and eclectic Cajun fare such as ...
, and Revelry announced plans to close permanently in June. Most locations of Pok Pok and related restaurants were closed permanently in June, leaving only the original restaurant and possibly one Pok Pok Wing location in southeast Portland. The closures of those were announced in October. The gay bar Local Lounge and Stacked Sandwich Shop closed in late 2021; Acadia: A New Orleans Bistro, Baby Blue Pizza, Bistro Agnes, Clyde Common, and Dóttir closed in early 2022. Local businesswoman Erika Polmar was instrumental in efforts to lobby local, state and federal governments for relief for restaurants and other food-related businesses state. She was a founding member and leadership team member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition.


Hospitality industry

The
hospitality industry The hospitality industry is a broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, food and beverage services, event planning, theme parks, travel agency, tourism, hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars. Sector ...
also experienced a wave of guest cancellations followed by a decline in bookings. The Jupiter Hotel laid off half its staff by March 18 after daily occupancy rates fell to 7–20 percent. Jupiter partnered with Multnomah County to use the hotel's 81 rooms as a temporary homeless shelter. The hotel housed those "experiencing symptoms of coronavirus but who haven't tested positive".
The Nines ''The Nines'' is a 2007 American science fiction psychological thriller film written and directed by John August, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis, Melissa McCarthy, and Elle Fanning. Three seemingly disconnected stories, revolving a ...
suspended hotel and restaurant operations on March 19, effective March 22. The Hyatt Regency Portland, which opened in December 2019, also suspended operations in March. In early April, Travel Portland reported approximately 80 percent decreases in the demand for lodging, revenue, and occupancy rates in Portland compared to last year. The president of Provenance Hotels, which owns or manages six hotels in Portland, left the company in mid-April because of the pandemic. In April, city officials predicted revenues from lodging taxes would be reduced by 50 percent during the next 12 months, "resulting in a $20 million shortfall".


Impact on professional sports

Following season suspensions by the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
(NBA) and
Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional Association football, soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanc ...
(MLS), the
Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
and
Portland Timbers The Portland Timbers are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The Timbers have p ...
canceled games. The Trail Blazers and Timbers games averaged approximately 19,000 and 25,000 people at the time. MLS initially announced a 30-day suspension, when the Timbers were scheduled to play at
Providence Park Providence Park (formerly Jeld-Wen Field; PGE Park; Civic Stadium; originally Multnomah Stadium; and from 1893 until the stadium was built, Multnomah Field) is an outdoor soccer venue located in the Goose Hollow neighborhood of Portland, Oregon ...
five times between March 12 and mid April. The soccer league extended the suspension to eight weeks on March 19. The
Portland Thorns FC Portland Thorns FC is an American professional Association football, soccer team based in Portland, Oregon, that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Established in 2012, the team began play in 2013 in the then-eight-team NWSL ...
's pre-season tournament slated for March 29 – April 4 was canceled on March 12, shortly before the
National Women's Soccer League The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a women's professional Association football, soccer league and the highest level of the United States soccer league system#Women's leagues, United States soccer league system (alongside the USL Supe ...
canceled pre-season games across the league. Timbers and Thorns tickets will be valid for rescheduled matches, as of March 12. On March 17, the Timbers and Thorns announced part-time workers would still receive compensation for canceled games, among other community initiatives.
Damian Lillard Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr. (born July 15, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Dame Time", he played college basketball for the Weber State Wi ...
encouraged fans to remain at home and practice social distancing. He said on the NBA's
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
account on March 23, "I've been washing my hands, social distancing — keep your space. Don't join in crowds, stay in small groups. It'd be best to stay in the house. I hope everybody is stocked up on everything they need so they can stay safe. Do everything the way we've been asked to help this pass faster. Like I said, y'all stay safe, y'all be good, man." Governor Brown and CJ McCollum appeared in a
public service announcement A public service announcement (PSA) is a message in the public interest disseminated by the media without charge to raise public awareness and change behavior. Oftentimes these messages feature unsettling imagery, ideas or behaviors that are des ...
to teach children about the disease and how to prevent transmission.


Impact on education

Governor Brown initially closed all K–12 schools through March 31. A four-week extension was added; students are scheduled to return on April 28. Portland Public Schools designated 15 buildings as sites for student meal distributions, and has considered providing 45,000 devices to students for
distance education Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance; today, it usually involves online ...
. High school and college graduation ceremonies were canceled. On April 8, Brown extended the school closures through to the end of the 2019–2020 school year. All Multnomah County Library branches were closed on March 13. The library system waived late fees and continued to provide public
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for Wireless LAN, local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by ...
. Students at
Oregon Health & Science University Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is a public university, public research university, research university focusing primarily on health sciences with a main campus, including two hospitals, in Portland, Oregon. The institution was founded ...
and the University of Portland began offering childcare and errand services for local health care professionals. In September 2020,
Reed College Reed College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1908, Reed is a residential college with a campus in the Eastmoreland, Portland, Oregon, E ...
has set up three large tents outside and some classes are being offered in the tents each with a capacity of 25.


Universities and collegiate sports

Portland State University Portland State University (PSU) is a public research university in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1946 as a post-secondary educational institution for World War II veterans. It evolved into a four-year college over the next ...
canceled in-person final exams, and eliminated in-person classes for the spring term, opting for distance learning. The
University of Portland The University of Portland (UP) is a private Catholic university in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1901 and is affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross, which also founded UP's sister school, the University of Notre Da ...
moved to online instruction and canceled all sports games and practices for the spring term.
Lewis and Clark College Lewis & Clark College is a private liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1867 and is situated on the historic M. Lloyd Frank Estate in South Portland's Collins View neighborhood. It is composed of three distinct but adja ...
,
Linfield College Linfield University is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college with campuses in McMinnville, Oregon, McMinnville, and Portland, Oregon. Linfield Wildcats athletics participate in the Northwest ...
, and
Willamette University Willamette University is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college with locations in Salem, Oregon, Salem and Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest college in the Western United ...
also implemented distance learning. On May 19, Mark L. Poorman announced plans for the University of Portland to reopen in August for the fall term.


Impact on public transit

On March 5, 2020, workers of the Portland area's regional transit agency,
TriMet The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) is a Transit district, transit agency that serves most of the Oregon part of the Portland metropolitan area. Created in 1969 by the Oregon Legislative Assembly, Oregon legi ...
, began nightly disinfections of the interior surfaces of buses,
MAX Light Rail The Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) is a light rail system serving the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. Owned and operated by TriMet, it consists of five lines connecting the Neighborhoods of Portland, Oregon, six sectio ...
and
WES Commuter Rail The Westside Express Service (WES) is a commuter rail line serving parts of the Portland metropolitan area's Washington County, Oregon, Washington and Clackamas County, Oregon, Clackamas counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Owned by TriMet and ...
trains, and LIFT
paratransit Paratransit (also community transport in the United Kingdom, or intermediate public transport) is a type of public transport service that supplements fixed-route mass transit by providing individualized rides without fixed routes or timetables. P ...
vehicles. Later on March 19, TriMet reported a significant decrease in ridership; approximately 140,000 fewer people rode TriMet vehicles compared to the weekday average in February. On March 26, TriMet temporarily stopped accepting cash payment of fares on buses, asking all riders to pay with the
Hop Fastpass Hop Fastpass is a contactless smart card for public transit fare payment on most transit modes in the Portland metropolitan area, Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area including MAX Light Rail, WES Commuter Rail, WES commuter rail, Portland Stree ...
system, to minimize the time that boarding passengers spend near the driver. Two days later, the agency announced reductions to its services. On April 5, TriMet reduced the frequency of MAX trains to every 15minutes and WES trains to every 45minutes. It modified the schedules of 84 bus lines and suspended the 272–PDX Night Bus route. Four days later, the agency imposed a temporary limit of 10 passengers per bus, or up to 15 if including family members traveling together, and began installing signs on bus seats to enforce physical distancing. On its website, TriMet requested the public to "maintain six feet of distance from other riders and the operator" and to "only take transit if necessary". The agency launched a new temporary service on April 29, line 297 between Rose Quarter Transit Center and OBRC's emergency bottle redemption center in Northwest Portland via Old Town Chinatown, established for people redeeming empty beverage containers at the request of Governor Brown's office. Other transit agencies across the region adopted similar measures, as well as measures to assist community members in need. On March 19, South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART) buses in Wilsonville began temporarily operating fare-free in support of transit-dependent commuters. On April 6, SMART reduced its services by 25 percent after reporting a sharp decline in ridership. On March 23, the
Portland Streetcar The Portland Streetcar is a streetcar system in Portland, Oregon, that opened in 2001 and serves areas surrounding downtown Portland. The NS Line runs from Northwest Portland to the South Waterfront via Downtown and the Pearl District. Th ...
reduced its regular weekday schedule from every 15minutes to every 20minutes in response to the statewide stay-at-home order. The
taxicab A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a Driving, driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of thei ...
company Radio Cab also improved cleaning procedures. The Port of Portland, which oversees Portland International Airport and the metropolitan area's general aviation and marine centers, had increased the rate of cleanings at its facilities by March 2. The Port focused on information and pay stations, shuttle buses, and valet booths, following recommendations issued by Multnomah County and the CDC, and made hand sanitizer available for people using ground transportation. On April 10, Portland International Airport reported an 80percent reduction in flights and a 94percent reduction in passengers compared to the previous year. This has led the Port to reduce its projected expenses by $20million for the upcoming fiscal year. The airport began requiring face coverings in May. Effective May 20, 2020, TriMet required all riders to wear face coverings. (a requirement that was later imposed nationwide on transit by the
Transportation Security Administration The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that has authority over the security of transportation systems within and connecting to the United States. It was created ...
) and shortly afterwards equipped all buses and MAX cars with boxes dispensing free face masks. The agency resumed accepting cash fare payment on October 1, 2020. The requirement for face masks on TriMet ended in April 2022 (two weeks before it had been set to expire), when a federal judge in Florida struck down the nationwide mandate, saying the TSA and CDC had exceeded their authority in imposing it, and TriMet opted not to retain the requirement on its system independently.


Impact on religion

Several Portland area churches, mosques, synagogues, and other places of worship canceled or elected to live stream services, including Congregation Neveh Shalom and the First Unitarian Church of Portland. Portland's Bridgetown Church began offering services via Zoom. The city's largest mosque, Masjid As-Saber, suspended
Friday prayer Friday prayer, or congregational prayer (), is the meeting together of Muslims for communal prayer and service at midday every Friday. In Islam, the day itself is called ''Yawm al-Jum'ah'' (shortened to ''Jum'ah''), which translated from Arabic me ...
s and asked worshippers to stay at home. Archbishop Alexander King Sample of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland encouraged priests to "be creative" with regard to accessibility, and "issued directives for parishes to cancel any event over 250 people and encouraged those aged over 60 or with underlying medical issues to consider not attending Mass and dispensed them of the obligation". Masses were canceled until April 14, which included Holy Week and Easter. Archbishop Sample said the announcement was "by far one of the most difficult communications e hasever written". The Grotto has suspended Mass until March 31, but visitors are welcome to visit the outdoor sanctuary and Upper Gardens.


Crime

On March 23, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said the crime rate for the month to date was lower than the rate for March 2019. The same office had announced that they're not booking misdemeanor arrests and giving out citations instead. The agency also reported lower jail bookings and moved some inmates at the Inverness Jail in northeast Portland into temporary dormitory-style housing to follow social distancing measures.
KATU KATU (channel 2) is a television station in Portland, Oregon, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside La Grande–licensed independent station KUNP, channel 16 (which KATU simulcasts on its sec ...
reported on a string of business break-ins in the Pearl District. The crisis group Call to Safety, which supports people experiencing
domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...
, began receiving twice as many calls and more requests for shelter and other resources once stay-at-home orders were enforced. Thousands of
respirator A respirator is a device designed to protect the wearer from inhaling hazardous atmospheres including lead, lead fumes, vapors, gases and particulate matter such as dusts and airborne pathogens such as viruses. There are two main categories o ...
masks valued at approximately $2,500 were stolen from the Rebuilding Center in north Portland in March. Some of the masks were recovered and donated to local hospitals. In April, federal investigators seized 100 coronavirus test kits shipped from China to an apartment in Portland.


Healthcare industry

The local
healthcare industry The healthcare industry (also called the medical industry or health economy) is an aggregation and integration of sectors within the economic system that provides goods and services to treat patients with curative, preventive, rehabilitative, ...
was significantly impacted by the pandemic. Governor Kate Brown has said non-emergency medical procedures can resume starting May 1. On March 27, Portland began nightly "solidarity cheers" to recognize health care and other frontline workers, similar to many other cities around the world.


See also

* 1918 Spanish flu quarantine in Portland, Oregon


References


External links

* * {{Portal bar, COVID-19, Medicine, Oregon, Viruses
Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...
Coronavirus pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
Coronavirus pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
2022 in Portland, Oregon Disasters in Oregon Health in Oregon