Latest regional metrics have been released for Washington’s COVID-19 recovery phases
The second round of Washington state’s “Roadmap to Recovery” metrics were released Friday by the state Department of Health.
The new plan, set to streamline the phased reopening of counties to just two phases, automatically starts with all the counties at Phase 1 and grouped into eight regions. Metrics are based on the level of disease activity and health resources.
On Friday, the state DOH reported, “All eight regions in Washington will remain in Phase 1 until at least Monday, January 25.”
The regions are reassessed each Friday.
In order to move to Phase 2, a region needs to show:
▪ At least a 10 percent decrease in the two-week rate of cases per 100,000 people.
▪ At least a 10 percent decrease in the two-week rate of new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people.
▪ A total ICU occupancy of less than 90%.
▪ A test positivity rate of less than 10 percent.
Pierce County, grouped with King and Snohomish counties, is part of the Puget Sound region.
The other regions:
East: Adams, Asotin, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Whitman
North: Island, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom
North Central: Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan
Northwest: Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason
South Central: Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima
Southwest: Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania, Wahkiakum
West: Grays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Thurston
Friday’s rankings for the region with previous week’s rankings in parentheses:
▪ Trend in 14-day rate of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population, 12/6–12/19/20 vs. 12/20/20–1/2/21:
Puget Sound Region: -13 percent (-27 percent)
East: -26 percent (-28 percent)
North: -3 percent (-31 percent)
North Central: -26 percent (-24 percent)
Northwest: -10 percent (-25 percent)
South Central: -12 percent (-4 percent)
Southwest: -5 percent (-27 percent)
West: -30 percent (-1 percent)
Statewide: -16 percent (-22 percent)
▪ Trend in 14-day rate of new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population, 12/13–12/26/20 vs. 12/27/20–1/9/21:
Puget Sound region: -3 percent (+1 percent)
East: -11 percent (+22 percent)
North: +61 percent (+50 percent)
North Central: -50 percent (-1 percent)
Northwest: +114 percent (+22 percent)
South Central: -22 percent (+12 percent)
Southwest: +6 percent (-2 percent)
West: -7 percent (+3 percent)
Statewide -9 percent (+8 percent)
▪ Average 7-day percent occupancy of ICU staffed beds 1/3–1/9/21:
Puget Sound Region: 85 percent (83 percent)
East: 74 percent (69 percent)
North: 61 percent (49 percent)
North Central: 90 percent (76 percent)
Northwest: 79 percent (87 percent)
South Central: 91 percent (93 percent)
Southwest: 70 percent (73 percent)
West: 82 percent (86 percent)
Statewide: 81 percent (80 percent)
▪ 7-day percent positive rate of COVID-19 tests, 12/20–12/26/20:
Puget Sound Region: 7 percent (no change)
East: 17 percent (no change)
North: 4 percent (no change)
North Central: 12 percent (15 percent)
Northwest: 7 percent (6 percent)
South Central: 19 percent (21 percent)
Southwest: 18 percent (16 percent)
West: 8 percent (10 percent)
Statewide 8 percent (9 percent)
The full report is posted online: bit.ly/3nW9Cel
This story was originally published January 15, 2021 at 1:16 PM with the headline "Latest regional metrics have been released for Washington’s COVID-19 recovery phases."
