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Washington extends COVID-19 restrictions through May, readies ‘four phase’ plan for reopening with limits on groups, restaurant capacity, and travel

(Image: Sea Turtle via Flickr)

Washington’s COVID-19 restrictions will be extended through the end of May and a plan to open the state will roll out across four phases and at least the next two months, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Friday.

The announcement of the extended “stay home” order through May 31st included the introduction of a four-phase plan for reopening the state including step by step changes like gradually increasing the number of people allowed to gather and limiting restaurant and bar capacities.

Each phase would require at least three weeks for health officials to evaluate before determining whether it was safe to proceed with the next steps, Inslee said Friday, pushing anything like a full reopening of the state beyond early June.

“I would like to tell you June 1st you can start making reservations,” Inslee said. “But I cannot.”

“The new normal is not here yet.”

UPDATE: When does Phase 1 begin? It’s generally understood that you can start counting the days from May 5th but most of the first phase thresholds aren’t much different than what has been in place. Will Phase 1 be in place for the next three or more weeks? Stay tuned.

Inslee’s extension of COVID-19 restrictions comes amid ongoing federal pressure for elements of the economy to reopen as soon as possible and amid a roster of states pushing forward with reopening elements of their economies.

Friday, Inslee emphasize personal responsibility and said that there should not be a separation of health and economic concerns. The economy and public health are “one,” Inslee said.

Inslee said the timing for the next steps will be contingent on a combination of metrics and models the governor laid out earlier this week that will help officials determine if the rate of COVID-19 infection is falling and if medical and testing resources are adequate for loosened restrictions. The state has posted its new COVID-19 dashboard here.

 

Washington’s current restrictions were ordered though May 4th. The legally enforceable order restricts activities to only essential needs including visiting health facilities, grocery shopping, and working in “essential businesses” and industries. Restaurants and bars have also been able to continue offering to go and delivery orders. Larger impacts include a halt to most commercial construction that does not involve safety or critical repairs.

A “stay home” lockdown has now been in place in Seattle for more than 50 days. Widely followed models show that restrictions could need to be in place for more than 90 days before it is safe for the region to fully reopen.

Inslee has said he would take a “scientific approach” to reopening Washington and its economy in a recovery that will be “more like the turning of a dial than a flip of the switch.”

Wednesday, Inslee said that Washington’s trends continue to show a stubborn rate of infection that can only be brought down by increased testing, better contact tracing, and better isolation. Previously, Inslee said a 1,500-person team including members of the Washington National Guard is being put together to tackle contact tracing in the state. Work on a smartphone app that would enable better contact tracing while maintaining privacy is also underway.

Earlier this week, Inslee announced the easing of restrictions on some outdoor activities. The state is also ready to allow the return of non-essential medical procedures. Friday, Inslee also said that smaller, rural Washington counties could apply for variances to be excepted from the new order.

CHS COVID-19 TIMELINE+ Feb. 29 First ‘presumptive positive’ COVID-19 case in King County + Mar. 11 Washington puts ‘over 250’ restrictions in place + Mar. 11 Schools closed + Mar. 15 Restaurants and bars closed, ‘over 50’ threshold + Mar. 21 Police begin clearing parks + Apr. 2 Washington restrictions extended + Apr. 6 Schools closed for rest of year + Apr. 8 Can’t relax those social restrictions yet but, exhale, Seattle — COVID-19 model says you’ve made it through this outbreak’s peak + Apr. 27 Washington eases restrictions on some outdoor activities but you’ll still need to give six feet on the trail

Washington’s economy has been battered by the crisis with unemployment reaching record highs and thousands of businesses waiting for federal aid.

Friday, King County officials also released new reporting showing the disproportionate impact of the virus on the area’s black and hispanic populations. According to the county’s new race and ethnicity dashboard, Hispanic residents are four times as likely to be hospitalized and more than twice as likely to die as white residents. Black residents are also disproportionately likely to test positive for the virus but their death rate is close to levels seen in the county’s white population, officials said.

Thursday, King County recorded three new COVID-19 deaths — its lowest daily total in April, a month in which the virus claimed 285 lives. Since the start of the outbreak, 449 have died here with 814 deaths across the state.

 

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23 Comments
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Adam
Adam
3 years ago

It’s really setting in that a lot of Capitol Hill businesses aren’t going to survive this. What a shame.

Come on right now
Come on right now
3 years ago

This is total nonsense.

Not sure when the goalposts moved, but clearly we’re not longer trying to flatten the curve. That has already happened with hospitalizations and ICU admissions trending down for some time now. This is a political thing now, plain and simple.

Very few restaurants/bars/retail are going to be able to survive this. Unless you’re paid off and/or have no significant debt obligations you’re going to be done.

Matt
Matt
3 years ago

Can you tell me what number of deaths is acceptable before reopening?

Any number higher than zero is a political decision.

Thinks for themselves
Thinks for themselves
3 years ago
Reply to  Matt

What an asinine thing to say. There is a whole host of things that kill 10’s of thousands a year that could be solved by a lockdown. Are you saying that remaining open or permitting those things is also a political decision?

You all though Seattle was losing its soul due to the likes of Amazon, but you haven’t seen anything yet. Amazon will come out of this a lot richer and small businesses that found a way to survive the last few decades have been crushed.

Anastasia
Anastasia
3 years ago

@come on right now: I’m so glad you spend your time focused on commenting on blog posts rather than being in a leadership position in public health or government.

Karyn Johnson
Karyn Johnson
3 years ago

So, does phase 1 begin on May 4th or does it begin on May 31st?

Adam
Adam
3 years ago
Reply to  Karyn Johnson

Phase 1 begins May 4.
Phase 2 projected 5/25 at earliest.
Phase 3 projected 6/15 at earliest.
Phase 4 projected 7/6 at earliest.

Per the Seattle Times.

Aaron Brethorst
Aaron Brethorst
3 years ago
Reply to  Adam

The Seattle Times indicates that Phase 1 begins in mid-May:

“In the plan issued Friday, Washington’s economy and social life would reopen in four phases, with some types of businesses ideally beginning to reopen in mid-May as the first phase.”

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/inslee-announces-extended-stay-home-order-outlines-plan-to-reopen-washington-in-phases/

Nope
Nope
3 years ago
Reply to  Adam

Problem is that phase 4 will take us right back to where we started unless every case can be tracked. Since it can be 1-2 weeks before symptoms show up it will start to spread again and we end up in lock down again.

Eric
Eric
3 years ago
Reply to  Adam

The chart on the Governor’s web site says that Phase 1 starts Tuesday, May 5th.

https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/chart-washingtons-phased-approach

Chicago Expat
Chicago Expat
3 years ago

Just heard on NPR that California will be loosening some restrictions “within days, not weeks”. What that means exactly is TBD, but I’m hopeful that such a move will perhaps cause some re-evaluation of the timeline on restaurants, retail, etc. While I’ve supported Inslee in all of this, it’s becoming apparent that the reputation he’s gotten in the press as the reasoned, science-based player has made him over-cautious for fear of burning the cred he’s earned. There’s absolutely no reason that small businesses that can institute proper controls (distancing, masks, etc) should have to wait to do so, especially since the same measures have been in place at much larger “essential” businesses such as grocery stores this entire time.

Adam
Adam
3 years ago
Reply to  Chicago Expat

It depends on the goal. When this lockdown was first proposed, it was because we had to prevent our healthcare system from being overwhelmed and collapsing. Those fears (thankfully) never happened.

It seems now that the goal is to prevent as much death as possible. Also a noble goal, but one with quite different ramifications on business and these restrictions.

It’s a tough situation but personally, unless we’re prepared to stay locked down (and prevent domestic travel) until there’s a vaccine and/or herd immunity, we’re going to have to learn to live with this and that means finding ways that businesses can operate as safely as they can.

Nope
Nope
3 years ago
Reply to  Adam

It seems like Seattle stopped well short of herd immunity and nothing much else has changed other than wearing cheap masks which may or may not prevent spread. You can’t eat or drink in restaurant/ bar with a mask on so not sure how that works. Hard to see much business if everyone is behind a plastic shield and 6-10ft apart.

Mark A Polione
Mark A Polione
3 years ago

Please don’t say Washington extends the policy. The incompatant govonor extended it-not the people.

Rosie
Rosie
3 years ago
Reply to  Mark A Polione

About 70% of Washingtonians like the way the governor is handling this.

rac
rac
3 years ago
Reply to  Rosie

Approval = (1 – unemployment rate)

Those working comfortably from home, skipping the commute and banking their stimulus checks aren’t so unhappy.

Those who have lost their incomes or otherwise seeing their lives torn apart. Willing to take a tiny bit of risk to mitigate it.

CD Neighbor
CD Neighbor
3 years ago
Reply to  Mark A Polione

I’m not sure anyone who talks about “incompatant govonor”s should think they have any right to talk about incompetent governors…. especially when spell check is so readily available.

Don’t worry folks – Georgia has ‘volunteered’ to be the test guinea pig. We’ll see what effect early opening has in a couple of weeks.

Whichever
Whichever
3 years ago
Reply to  CD Neighbor

CD – I was thinking the same thing earlier. The southeast can be the test dummies for this. Why let logic and science stand in the way of their poor decisions.

Stoner
Stoner
3 years ago
Reply to  CD Neighbor

At least he didn’t type “impotent guvners”…

Hukt ohn fonix wurkt fer mee!

Anastasia
Anastasia
3 years ago
Reply to  Mark A Polione

It hurts my brain that you spelled “incompatant” and “govornor” incorrectly The inaccurate use of a hyphen also is painful. But still your actual pro-death statement hurts worse.

Bob Knudson
Bob Knudson
3 years ago

I think that Governor Inslee is getting it just right…..like the Three Bears story….”not too cold, not too hot, just right.”

Anti-itnA
Anti-itnA
3 years ago

I love it when people post here, pretending to be RWNJs and riling up the LWNJs who are so easily triggered.

The USA is way behind on testing, and reporting of cases and deaths, so all the governments are guessing as to bbn when and how much restrictions should be eased.

If you are looking for work, Ben Nader at Seattle Search Solutions has lots of leads. The are mostly basic labor jobs, but he never charges candidates, unlike some other job sites.

I promise: I am mot Ben Nader.

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