Gov. Kate Brown has extended a declaration of emergency as the omicron variant emerges in the coronavirus pandemic.

The latest order will remain in effect through June 30 — more than two years after the first one, at the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 — unless rescinded or extended.

Brown said in a statement released Tuesday that the extension was necessary to allow for flexibility in the response to a surge of cases and hospitalizations. But she said the potential surge need not be as severe if people get vaccinated, get a booster shot and wear masks.

“As Oregon prepares for what could be our worst surge in hospitalizations during this pandemic, I know that this is not the beginning of the new year any of us had hoped for,” the governor said.

“Time and again over the last two years, Oregonians have proven that we will stand with each other in our most difficult times. Your actions have saved lives, and it is because we have worked together to keep each other safe that Oregon still has some of the lowest infection and mortality rates in the nation.”

The declaration will enable the state to use SERV-OR volunteer medical providers in hospitals, provide flexibility in state licensing of health professionals, and ensure access to federal disaster relief funds, such as enhanced food benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Brown had rescinded most of her other COVID-related emergency declarations at the end of June.

Some measures aimed at thwarting the spread of COVID-19 and its variants do not rely on emergency declarations, such as the wearing of masks and mandatory vaccinations for public school staff and health care workers. They are covered by agency administrative rules issued under existing state laws.

An agreement with unions extended the time for state workers to obtain vaccinations.

Brown did invoke other authority for Oregon National Guard members to support hospital workers, and for the Oregon Health Authority to bring in skilled health care workers to help hospitals and long-term care centers.

The health authority, meanwhile, reported five new virus cases for Clatsop County on Tuesday, 21 new cases over the weekend and three new cases on Friday. Since the pandemic began, the county had recorded 2,771 virus cases as of Tuesday.

Fighting the omicron variant surging through the country, President Joe Biden announced the government will provide 500 million free rapid home-testing kits, increase support for hospitals under strain and redouble vaccination and boosting efforts.

At the White House on Tuesday, Biden detailed major changes to his COVID-19 winter plan, his hand forced by the fast-spreading variant, whose properties are not yet fully understood by scientists. Yet his message was clear that the winter holidays could be close to normal for the vaccinated while potentially dangerous for the unvaccinated.

His pleas are not political, he emphasized. He noted that former President Donald Trump has gotten his booster shot, and he said it’s Americans’ “patriotic duty” to get vaccinated.

“It’s the only responsible thing to do,” the president said. “Omicron is serious and potentially deadly business for unvaccinated people.”

Biden chastised social media and people on cable TV who have made misleading statements to discourage people from getting vaccinated.