Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 3, March 1, 2024
(1) On or about March 8, 2020, Governor Kate
Brown a declared a state of emergency under ORS
401.165
et seq due to the public health threat posed by the novel infectious
coronavirus (COVID - 19), which has been extended several times and is still in
effect as of the date this rule was enacted. This rule supplements and does not
supersede any obligations and mandates under the Governor's EO orders and
guidance issued by the Oregon Health Authority under the EO orders. This rule
does not relieve licensees of any obligation and mandates under the Governor's
EO orders and guidance issued by the Oregon Health Authority.
(2) Effective immediately, for the duration
of the state of emergency, all licensed Naturopathic Physicians in the State of
Oregon must:
(a) Require all individuals to
wear masks, face coverings or face shields upon entry and at all times while in
an indoor health care setting / indoor spaces.
(b) Wear and require all persons providing
patient care to wear masks, face coverings or face shields at all times while
providing patient care in an indoor health care setting / indoor
space.
(c) Wear and require all
employees, contractors, volunteers, to wear masks, face coverings or face
shields at all times, including but not limited to; treatment rooms, hallways,
bathrooms, elevators, lobbies, break rooms, and other common spaces.
(d) Use and require all persons providing
patient care to engage in proper hand sanitization and appropriately disinfect
treatment room surfaces and equipment that comes into contact with
patients.
(3) Licensed
Naturopathic Physicians are not required by the Board to wear masks, face
coverings, or face shields, nor are required by the Board to enforce
requirements on others to wear masks, face coverings, or face shields, as
follows:
(a) While eating or
drinking
(b) For children under
five (5)
(c) During treatment /
activity that makes wearing a mask, face shield or face covering not feasible,
such as examining the nose and/or throat.
(d) In a private office, not open to the
public, and six feet of physical distance can be maintained at all
times.
(e) For individuals who have
a medical condition that makes it hard to breathe or a disability that prevents
the individual from wearing a mask, face shield or face covering can request an
accommodation from the business or indoor space operator to enable full and
equal access to services and facilities open to the public.
(4) Failure to abide by the
requirements of this rule may result in disciplinary action by the
Board.
(5) Definitions
(a) Indoor health care settings / indoor
spaces may be publicly owned or privately owned, where the public has access by
right or invitation, express or implied, whether by payment of money or not and
may include, but are not limited to, building lobbies or common spaces,
hallways, elevators, bathrooms, treatment rooms, or meeting rooms
(b) Mask means medical grade mask.
(c) Facial covering means a cloth, paper or
disposable face covering that covers the nose and the mouth.
(d) Facial shield means a clear plastic
shield that covers the forehead, extends below the chin, and wraps around the
sides of the face or eye protection.
Statutory/Other Authority: 685.125
Statutes/Other Implemented:
685.125