The vast majority of Oregon residents will ring in the New Year under the most restrictive COVID-19 risk levels, Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday.

Brown said Clatsop, Coos, Douglas, Lincoln, and Morrow counties had lowered their infection rates enough to drop from extreme risk to high risk categories. Lake County moved from moderate to lower risk.

Moving down to high risk level means the five counties can resume limited indoor services and sales.

The revised ratings go into effect Jan. 1.

Most Oregonians live in the 24 counties that remain at the extreme risk level. There are now five at high risk, none at moderate risk, and seven at lower risk.

Counties are assigned one of four risk levels based on the spread of COVID-19 infections: extreme, high, moderate and lower. The higher the level, the more restrictions on activities, businesses and gatherings.

Brown praised the counties that moved down on the list, but said ratings can move up again if infection rates increase.

“If communities let down their guard too early, we could see our hard-won progress unravel just as quickly,” Brown said. 

The levels are reviewed every two weeks. The next report will be Jan. 15.

Since February, the Oregon Health Authority has reported 110,545 positive tests for COVID-19 and 1,433 deaths.

There have been 19.3 million cases nationwide, causing over 335,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The center reports over 81.5 million cases worldwide, with 1.78 million deaths.

Health care workers received the first inoculations from vaccines approved this month from Pfizer and Moderna. Oregon health officials say limited supplies and a complex delivery chain mean it will likely take until summer to vaccinate all adults in the state who want the vaccine.

County COVID-19 Risk Levels

Effective Jan. 1, counties are assigned the following risk levels based on the spread of COVID-19 infections:

Lower Risk 

Gilliam

Grant

Harney

Lake 

Sherman

Wallowa

Wheeler

Moderate Risk

None

High Risk 

Clatsop

Coos 

Douglas

Lincoln

Morrow

Extreme Risk

Baker

Benton

Clackamas

Columbia

Crook

Curry

Deschutes

Hood River

Jackson

Jefferson

Josephine

Klamath

Lane

Linn

Malheur

Marion

Multnomah

Polk

Tillamook

Umatilla

Union

Wasco

Washington

Yamhill