New COVID-19 restrictions take effect across the Northwest | News

PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) – Several restrictions to help slow the spread of Covid-19 went into place across the Northwest on Friday.

In Oregon, children 5 years and older need to wear masks when indoors and outside when social distancing isn’t possible. Gatherings at indoor venues were limited to 100 people, down from 250 people. Restaurants and bars are also impacted and must end food and alcohol service at 10:00 p.m. Inside gyms, masks are required even when working out.

At Lloyd Athletic Club in northeast Portland, workers say they are taking every precaution possible. They say they had already been asking people inside the gym to wear a mask.

“We have been encouraging from day one, providing them at the door, so anyone that wasn’t expecting to, and it takes a little getting used to, but it is actually really easy adjusting it when you need to,” Owner Khino Brackeen said.

Brackeen says the gym has taped off some equipment to allow social distancing and equipment is regularly cleaned.

In Washington state, receptions for weddings and funerals are prohibited. There is a grace period until Aug. 6 to allow for events already planned.

Wedding photographer Sarah Willey says she understands the reasoning, but is ready for all of this to be over.

“We are trying to take it day by day, but we are just going at it hoping that it is going to get better,” Willey said.

Willey says those in the wedding industry have been impacted heavily by the restrictions. Venues have closed and others in the wedding industry say they have had to find new jobs for the time being.

Willey says couples planning to get married are trying to hit a moving target to secure a date.

“Now, with everything happening again, they are kind of just like, we don’t really want to go through this anymore,” Willey said. “We are going to try one more date next year but they are kind of going into it, if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.”

Copyright 2020 KPTV-KPDX Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.