A COVID-19 particle is pictured in this image provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC/CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

Baker County’s COVID-19 risk level rises by one, from lowest to moderate, on Friday, March 12, but the effects on restaurants and bars, and other businesses and activities, are relatively minor.

The county has been at the lowest of the state’s four risk levels since Feb. 12.

But an increase in new virus cases, and a higher percentage of positive tests, during the most recent two-week measuring period moves the county to moderate risk.

To qualify for the lowest level, the county needs to have fewer than 30 cases during the two weeks, and a positive test rate below 5%.

Baker County’s numbers for the most recent period — Feb. 21 through March 6 — were 44 new cases and a positivity rate of 6.3%.

The county actually reported 45 new cases, but one of those is an inmate at Powder River Correctional Facility, and state officials don’t count such cases if doing so would push a county into a higher risk level.

That would have happened had the Powder River case been included in the county’s official total — the threshold for the high-risk category is 45 new cases.

County Commissioner Mark Bennett said that although it’s unfortunate the county’s risk level is rising to moderate, “we’re grateful the moderate risk rating will not affect our schools, restaurants and bars, and gyms to a large extent. It will impact our businesses if our risk level rises again in two weeks.”

“I ask everyone to take notice of where we are, and to keep doing the good things you’re doing to limit the spread,” Bennett said. “Our Health Department is steadily getting vaccines to those who want one when we receive them. Unfortunately, in the last week we also had three COVID-19-related deaths of county residents. We’re a ways off from being out of the woods, and there is a lot we can continue to do to take care of each other.”

Although the county’s case counts have risen the past two weeks or so, they remain well below the numbers from November, December and the first half of January.

The county had 141 cases during November, 196 in December — the highest monthly total during the pandemic — and 106 in January. February’s total was 70 cases, and for the first nine days of March there were 21 cases.

The difference in restrictions on businesses and activities between the lowest and moderate categories is less severe than between moderate and high risk.

For restaurants and bars, the limit on indoor dining in moderate-risk counties is 50% of capacity or 100 total people, whichever is fewer. In counties at the lowest risk, the limit is 50% of capacity only, with no restriction on total people.

The situation starting Friday is the same for gyms and fitness centers, theaters and museums — a limit of 50% of capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

The limits on outdoor recreation events, including sports, drops from 300 people under the lowest risk to 150 under moderate risk.

Tyler Brown, who owns Barley Brown’s Brew Pub and Tap House in Baker City, said the change in indoor dining limits won’t affect his businesses because at 50% capacity there are fewer than 100 people.

Indoor tables are limited to six diners for moderate risk, compared with eight diners for lowest risk, but Brown said that also isn’t a big problem because most of his tables are set up for no more than six customers.

Justin Long, who owns the Sumpter Nugget restaurant, said the new restrictions that take effect Friday won’t affect his business either.

Brown said he has been tracking case counts and he was concerned about the possibility that the county would move into either the high or extreme level.

For counties at high risk, the limit on indoor dining is 25% of capacity or 50 total people, and at the extreme risk indoor dining is prohibited.