First phase of Gov. Inslee’s plan to reopen Washington begins Tuesday
May 5, 2020, 8:46 AM | Updated: 8:47 am
Seattle streets. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
Washington’s road to reopening began Tuesday, marked by the start of Phase 1 of Gov. Inslee’s “Start Safe” plan.
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Phase 1 will include the reopening of some outdoor recreation, including hunting, fishing, golf, boating, and hiking. Businesses allowed to reopen include automobile dealerships, landscapers, car washes, pet walkers, and retail (on the condition locations provide curb-side pickup service only).
COVID-19 brought unprecedented challenges to our state. So far, Washingtonians have stepped up.
There are more challenges ahead. But tomorrow, we enter Phase 1 of Safe Start, our phased approach to re-opening Washington’s economy: https://t.co/HTjufoscL5 #WeGotThisWA 1/4 pic.twitter.com/Gy8XOHIA8E
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) May 4, 2020
“This phased approach to re-opening our economy will allow us to move forward with a careful and thoughtful balance of our state’s health and economic needs,” Gov. Inslee last Friday when he introduced his plan. “However, if infection rates and hospitalizations for COVID-related issues go up, I would not hesitate to scale these efforts back down to protect public health and save lives.
“I fully recognize the impact this is having on families, workers and businesses, but we have not yet won the fight against this virus,” he continued.
If new cases continue to remain manageable over the next three weeks, the state could be able to move into Phase 2, which would include the reopening of in-store purchasing at retail locations, real estate, office-based businesses (with teleworking still “highly encouraged), hair and nail salons, pet groomers, and restaurants/taverns (at 50% capacity with no tables with more than five people and no bar area seating).
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Additionally, counties with populations under 75,000 with no new COVID-19 cases for three weeks can apply to move through the various reopening phases faster.
This comes while some businesses in Washington have defied the state’s ongoing stay-at-home order, including a Snohomish County barbershop and an Olympia tree trimming service.
