Whatcom not among counties moving to Phase 2 Monday as COVID reopening plan shifts

Whatcom County is not one of seven counties that make up Washington’s West and Puget Sound regions in the Healthy Washington plan that will move to Phase 2 of reopening Monday, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday. The move is made possible by a change to the state’s reopening plan that will make it easier for other regions to do the same.

With their move to Phase 2, gyms and restaurants in King, Pierce, Thurston, Grays Harbor, Lewis, Snohomish and Pacific counties will be able to reopen to indoor activity at 25% capacity, among other loosened restrictions.

Regions will now need to meet three of the four targets set by the state to advance to Phase 2.

The four targets are:

  • A 10% decline in case rates per 100,000 population over the last 14 days compared to the prior two weeks;

  • A 10% decline in two-week COVID-19 hospital admission rate per 100,000 population;

  • Average seven-day intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy rate below 90%; and

  • A test positivity rate below 10%.

Another change: Rather than evaluating whether regions should move phases on a weekly basis, that will now happen every two weeks.