Whatcom business won’t be reopening in January, latest Healthy Washington data shows
Whatcom County will have to wait until at least February to begin reopening, as the North Region will remain in Phase 1 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Healthy Washington another week — Roadmap to Recovery plan, the state announced Friday, Jan. 22.
Whatcom and the rest of the North Region won’t be alone, though.
None of the eight regions in Washington state managed to clear the all of the hurdles set by Inslee, according to a Department of Health news release, and all will therefore remain in Phase 1 until at least Feb. 1.
That means that many restaurants and businesses across the state will have to keep following the same restrictions in order to help prevent the further spread of COVID-19.
Regions must meet four metrics for COVID-19 trends and healthcare system readiness in order to advance to Phase 2, including:
▪ Showing a decreasing trend of 10% or more in two-week infection rates of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.
▪ Displaying a decreasing trend of 10% or more in the number of COVID-related hospitalizations.
▪ Having less than 90% Intensive Care Unit occupancy in hospitals.
▪ Recording less than 10% COVID-19 test positivity.
Whatcom County is part of the North Region, along with Skagit, Island and San Juan counties.
On Friday, the Department of Health announced the launch of a new Roadmap to Recovery dashboard, showing where each region stands. According to the dashboard Friday, the North Region is missing on two of the four criteria:
▪ Its 14-day infection rate increased by 89% from last week’s report, missing the mark. Last week the region had a 3% decrease. Overall, the state increased 19%. The North region had the highest increase in the state by a 2-to-1 margin.
▪ Its COVID-related hospital admissions rate increased 50% from last week’s rate, missing the mark. Last week the region had a 61% increase. Overall, the state decreased 10%. The North Region also had the highest increase in the state in this metric.
▪ Its average seven-day occupancy of ICU beds was 60%, making the goal. Last week, the region had 61% occupancy. Overall, the state was at 81%.
▪ Its seven-day COVID test positivity rate was 8%, making the goal and equaling the best mark in the state. Last week, the region had 4% positivity. Overall, the state was at 10%.
No region was passing more than two metrics, according to this week’s report.
Phase 1 allows live entertainment with ticketed groups of up to 10 people and very limited fitness activities such as appointment-based training in gyms.
Phase 2 allows restaurants and indoor fitness centers to open indoors at 25% capacity and allows for sports competitions to resume with limited spectators, and weddings and funeral ceremonies can increase capacities.
To stay in Phase 2, regions have to keep meeting at least three of the metrics, though the trend metrics will have a little more flexibility in ICU occupancy and test positivity rates.
This story was originally published January 22, 2021 at 3:00 PM.
