Inslee: Widespread Mask Use Essential To Prevent New Restrictions

OLYMPIA, WA — Widespread adherence to new state rules requiring masks inside businesses will be essential in preventing the state from moving backward in the Safe Start plan, Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday.

The governor hosted a news conference in Olympia on the first day of the "no mask, no service" requirements, highlighting them as a primary tool to allow for the economy's continued reopening. Updated modeling from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation shows a substantially lower case count and projected death toll, should the use of masks become "universal."

Last week, Inslee announced a temporary pause on all reopening phases amid a surge in cases seen since mid-June.

"If these trends were to continue, we would have to be prepared to go back to where we were in March," Inslee said. "I want to reopen our economy. I want to reopen our businesses. I want people to be able to get back to work."

Paramount to achieving that goal is the widespread use of face coverings, Inslee says, and the governor is encouraged by the early results east and west of the Cascades.

"We have seen massive compliance with this effort to date," Inslee said. "This is not a partisan issue; it's a life-saving measure."

Other tools include continued physical distancing, frequent hand washing, early testing and voluntary cooperation with contact tracers.

The governor said a portion of the increase in cases is due to increased testing casting a "wider net," but the percentage of positive tests and the virus's reproductive rate are also on the rise.

Dr. Kathy Lofy, the state health officer, echoed Inslee's concerns.

"These worrisome signals are no longer confined to a few hot spots in eastern Washington but are now being seen unfortunately throughout the state," Lofy said. "If COVID-19 activity continues to increase throughout Washington during the summer months, our hospitals could be full of COVID-19 patients moving into the fall, which would position us very poorly for the start of the school year and the anticipated fall wave."

Asked about a recent lawsuit filed over the legality of the mask mandate, the governor said he was not concerned.

"Anyone can file a lawsuit that wants to waste their money," Inslee said. "We're on very firm constitutional and statutory grounds."

The governor reiterated that his order is "legally-binding" and can be enforced through citations and fines if businesses refuse to ensure customers are wearing face coverings. Certain groups are exempt from the requirements, including children age 5 and younger and those with certain medical conditions.

Find answers to frequently asked questions about face coverings from the Washington State Department of Health.