(Salem, OR) -- Governor Kate Brown is lifting the state's COVID-19 emergency declaration effective April 1st. Brown made the announcement yesterday, saying declining case numbers and hospitalizations from the Omicron wave are allowing for the change. Brown says it doesn't mean the pandemic is over, but Oregonians are learning to live with the virus. She says people need to remain vigilant, continue getting vaccinated and boosted, wear masks when necessary, and stay home when sick.