Phase 2 Begins In King, Pierce And 5 Other WA Counties

SEATTLE — King, Pierce, Snohomish and four other Washington counties enter the second reopening phase Monday under adjusted standards unveiled by Gov. Jay Inslee late last week. The change makes it easier to move forward, requiring each of the state's eight regions to meet only three of the four reopening metrics to reach Phase 2.

Related: 7 Washington Counties Begin Phase 2 Reopening Monday, Inslee Says

Under the modifications announced Thursday, regions only need to meet three of the four standards to move forward:

• A decreasing trend in the two-week rate of COVID-19 cases per 100K population (decrease >10%).
• A decreasing trend in two-week rate new COVID-19 hospital admission rates per 100K population (decrease >10%).
• ICU occupancy (total — COVID-19 and non-COVID-19) of less than 90%.
• COVID-19 test positivity rate of <10%.

Phase two allows for several indoor and social activities, including:

• Small indoor social gatherings (up to five people outside the household).
• Indoor dining (25 percent capacity, six people per table and must close by 11 p.m.)
• Wedding ceremonies and receptions
• Indoor entertainment (25 percent capacity)

The announcement Thursday arrived as the state reported signs of progress in the fight against COVID-19. However, the situation remains precarious, and public health leaders continue to urge vigilance, especially now that researchers have detected a more contagious strain of the virus in all three of Washington's most populous counties.

King County confirmed the presence of the B117 variant late Friday, just a few hours after the county's health officer delivered a plea for "extreme caution." The more transmissible strain was first detected in the U.K. and has since prompted strict mitigation measures in several countries.

"Multiple countries in Europe have had to resort to more severe lockdowns — the word we do not want to hear — in an attempt to control the B117 variant," Dr. Jeff Duchin said. "We will need to be vigilant and act quickly and decisively if we see a rebound in our COVID-19 outbreak, but we do have the advantage now of an early warning to help us prepare by getting transmission as low as possible, as quickly as possible."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict the B117 strain will become dominant across the United States by March, well before the wider population is sufficiently vaccinated. Bottlenecks in the federal supply chain continue to limit vaccination efforts in Washington and other states, with the most favorable timelines now stretching well into the summer.

Until then, public health leaders urge residents to continue practicing proven precautionary measures, including:

• Wear a mask, even with people you see regularly and in your smallest social circles.
• Keep gatherings outside whenever possible.
• Avoid any social gatherings indoors, but if participating, wearing a mask and ensuring windows and doors are open to maximize ventilation.
• Wear a mask while in the car with other people, including with family who do not live in your household.
• Wash hands often, not touching your face, and carrying hand sanitizer for use when water and soap are not available.
• Stay home if you are sick or if you have been exposed to COVID-19.
• Get tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms or were exposed to someone who tested positive.

Learn more about the variant strain in Washington and best practices to limit the spread of COVID-19 on the Department of Health website.