Phase 3 might not last forever
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
OLYMPIA – Every county in Washington is now in Phase 3 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s reopening plan. Since Inslee ended the regional system of ranking the state, it will now be up to each county to remain under the looser restrictions. Each county will be reassessed every three weeks, and if the numbers aren’t good, they could be demoted.
Under Phase 3 restaurants, gyms, fitness centers, and movie theaters are able to return to 50 percent capacity. It also allows for indoor and outdoor events including high school graduations and concerts to resume with a limit of 400 people in attendance. It also permits alcohol service until midnight instead of cutting it off at 11 p.m.
It also allows crowds of about 9,000 fans to attend opening day for the Seattle Mariners. Basically it allows for outdoor venues with permanent seating can operate at 25 percent capacity, as well as opening up high school sports, rodeos, and other outdoor events with safety precautions in place. Each county will be evaluated based on a rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people as well as the rate of virus-caused hospitalizations. In addition, if the county’s intensive care units are 90 percent full, a county would be downgraded.
The state’s first review of the counties will occur on April 12.
