Josephine County cleared for High Risk status effective Friday

Under High Risk, Josephine County can begin allowing both inside and outside visitation at long-term care facilities, reopen indoor dining at restaurants, and increase capacity at theaters, gyms and other fitness establishments.

Legislature incluounty as the county moves from extreme risk to high-- public health officials say this change will allow for the residents to get a feel for a sense of normalcy again.

Gyms, restaurants and theaters will be able to operate under 25 percent or a maximum of 50 people.

Public health officials caution that while the risk levels are going down, it doesn't me people should let their guard down against the pandemic.

This has been a long year, its been a long year for everyone, public health officials are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, the fact that we have vaccines at hand the fact that we are administering them at a pretty high rate, thousands a week.

Webber says that we shoulg and g establishments in the central business district of grants pass are now able to expand their outdoor dining options.

These businesses had to apply for a sidewalk and cafe permit to allow for parklets.

Recently parklets in grants pass re-opened for 90 days - yet a grants pass business advocate says this time could be extended for another month.

She added that these parklets have been opened periodically throughout the pandemic to help restaurants extend their outdoor dining-- it was first only for 30 days but that time continued to be extended.

She says these parklets have been crucial for restaurants to stay in business.

I have been told by the restaurants they've, they've actually expressed that this is a make or break for them.

And that it's very necessary for them to have in order to operate.

They need that extra space in order to serve people.

So it is really helping out the businesses and we're very happy to help out with businesses.

Right now there are six different restaurants with parklets and the city is planning on extending them onto establishments on sixth street.

Seereiter says making the