On August 4, 2021, Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced that the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will create a rule requiring healthcare workers to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing if they are not vaccinated. Based on the governor’s announcement, OHA’s rule will require healthcare workers to show they have been vaccinated for COVID-19 by September 30, 2021. Oregon will require healthcare employers to pay for the weekly testing of their unvaccinated employees.

The governor has stated that the rule will extend to workers at in-home care, out-patient facilities, long-term care facilities, and more. Importantly, the rule will apply to non-patient-facing employees as well as those who directly interact with patients. Finally, workers in settings that include infectious materials, such as laboratories, will also be covered by the new rule.

We will continue to monitor developments in this area and provide updates once the OHA issues its expected rule.