Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Mandates Masks Outside: It’s a ‘Necessary Measure’

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) on Tuesday announced her plan to mandate masks in certain outdoor public settings, deeming it a “necessary measure.”

“Today, I’m announcing that effective Friday, August 27, masks will be required in all public outdoor settings where physical distancing is not possible, regardless of vaccination status,” Brown said Tuesday.

“Masks have proven to be effective at reducing transmission and are a necessary measure right now even in some outdoor settings to help us fight COVID and to protect one another,” she continued:

Today we have 1,000 COVID-19 patients in our hospitals. I’m continuing to take actions to protect Oregonians and save lives.

Effective Friday 8/27, masks will be required in public outdoors settings where physical distancing is not possible, regardless of vaccination status. pic.twitter.com/0EU6bteTPU

— Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) August 24, 2021

The Democrat governor also said the Oregon Health Authority is “strongly” recommending masking in outdoor gatherings at private residents if the gathering involves individuals from different households and physical distancing is not feasible.

She later added that the rule “doesn’t mean you have to wear a mask at all times outdoors.”

“You do not need to mask up for the fleeting pass by on a hiking trail or your morning walk with your dog,” she said, attempting to lessen the blow.

“It does mean that you must take personal responsibility and use common sense in outdoor spaces where you can’t physically distance yourself,” she added, calling masking a “simple act of kindness and compassion” which she believes will protect communities.

The Democrat mayor made no mention of the recent University of Waterloo study, which found that surgical and cloth masks are only roughly 10 percent efficient at blocking exhaled aerosols, as Breitbart News detailed:

The study, examining the effects of masks and ventilation, ultimately found that commonly used cloth and surgical masks do little to filter exhaled aerosols.

“The results show that a standard surgical and three-ply cloth masks, which see current widespread use, filter at apparent efficiencies of only 12.4% and 9.8%, respectively,” the study concluded, noting that KN95 and N95 masks were far more effective at filtering out aerosols.

“Apparent efficiencies of 46.3% and 60.2% are found for KN95 and R95 masks, respectively, which are still notably lower than the verified 95% rated ideal efficiencies,” researchers continued in the data published last month prior to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reversing course, advising fully vaccinated individuals to wear masks if they are in high-risk areas.

Brown made waves last week after announcing the state will force educators and staff to be vaccinated for the Chinese coronavirus.