Oregon Governor Kate Brown today announced a statewide two-week “freeze” starting on Wednesday through December 2 which will limit restaurants and bars to take-out only and close gyms and indoor and outdoor recreational facilities.  The aim is to limit group activities and slow the spread of COVID-19.  The state is experiencing a spike in coronavirus infections and has reached record high positivity rates so far in November.  As part of the freeze, grocery stores, pharmacies and retail stores are limited to a maximum capacity of 75%. Faith-based organizations will also have their capacity reduced to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.  However, other facilities including gyms and fitness centers, museums, pools, sports courts, movie theaters, zoos, gardens, aquariums and venues, will have to close their doors completely.  Restaurants and bars, which had a capacity limit of 50-100 people depending on the county and curfew of 10 p.m., will now be limited to take-out only.  Brown said all businesses will be required to close their offices to the public and mandate work-from-home “to the greatest extent possible.”  And indoor and outdoor social get-togethers are limited to six people, total, from no more than two households.  In the past, Brown has described social get-together measures as “self-enforced,” but today she alluded to law enforcement action, saying she has asked Oregon State Police Superintendent to being to work with local law enforcement to enforce the social gathering orders.  Oregon State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger says social gatherings are the reason for the increased virus spread.  The freeze does not apply to barber shops, hair salons, congregate homeless sheltering, outdoor recreation and sports, youth programs, childcare, and K-12 schools that are currently open.  Brown and the governors of California and Washington issued travel advisories Friday urging residents to avoid non-essential out-of-state travel and asking people to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country.  For the past two weeks, officials have expressed concerns about nearing hospital capacity in the state.  Oregon Health Authority chief medical officer Dana Hargunani said there are limitations to what Oregon’s healthcare system can handle.  The OHA reported a record of 303 coronavirus patients in hospitals Friday, an increase of 81% since the end of October.  Several major hospitals in Portland have begun curtailing elective surgeries this week amid the surge.  The National Federation of Independent Business immediately denounced Brown’s new order, noting that Oregon health officials are blaming social gatherings, not businesses, for precipitating the unprecedented surge in cases.