Washington State COVID-19 Updates In the News

This week Governor Inslee announced updates to the Healthy Washington - Roadmap to Recovery. Learn more by reviewing the highlights below and the articles from Medium.com and the Seattle Times.

A Summary of Highlights from WRPA Lobbyist, Doug Levey:

• Rather than a county by county approach, the state will be divided into eight regions. King County is in the “Puget Sound” region, along with Snohomish County and Pierce County.
• Note – This region is also referred to as the “Central” region in another reference – we will confirm the accurate name.
  
  
• All regions will start in Phase 1. To move from Phase 1 into Phase 2, the region must reach all four of the following metrics:
• Decreasing trend in two-week rate of COVID-19 cases per 100K population (decrease >10%)
• 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%
  
  
• To stay in Phase 2, the region must meet the following metrics:
• Decreasing or flat trend in two-week rate of COVID-19 cases per 100K population
• Decreasing or flat trend in two-week rate new COVID-19 hospital admission rates per 100K population
• ICU occupancy (total — COVID-19 and non-COVID-19) of less than 90%
• COVID-19 test positivity rate of <10%.
• Regions that fall below will go back to Phase 1.
• DOH and local health departments reserve the right to move a region outside of this timing, and additional phases may be added as the state’s COVID-19 situation changes with continued vaccine distribution and other changes in public health response.
• Note – There is some discrepancy on the Medium page on whether regions must meet two or three of the above to stay in Phase 2. We are checking with the Governor’s office on this.

Article from Medium.com

"Inslee announces 'Healthy Washington–Roadmap to Recovery'"
The state will shift to a two-phase system in accordance with regional case counts.

Posted January 5, 2020 by the WA Governors Office

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Gov. Jay Inslee today announced “Healthy Washington — Roadmap to Recovery,” a COVID-19 phased recovery plan. Beginning on January 11, the state will follow a regional recovery approach with every region starting in Phase 1.

“No one was untouched by the effects of the pandemic in 2020; many have and continue to suffer through no fault of their own,” Inslee said during a press conference Tuesday. “We aren’t out of this yet, but we are close to turning the corner on COVID-19 and this third wave of infection.”

Washington has avoided overwhelming the state’s health care systems throughout this pandemic so far through rigorous safety measures, such as physical distancing and masking, as well as social and economic restrictions. This new recovery system aims to safely ease some restrictions while also maintaining crucial hospital capacity, ensuring care for Washingtonians that need it and paving the way for economic recovery.

Read the rest of the story on the governor's Medium page.

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A Message from the Seattle Times

"Inslee announces plan to reopen Washington state restaurants, other businesses based on COVID-19, hospitalization rates in regions"

Jauary 5, 2021 By Ryan Blethen

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Gov. Jay Inslee announced Tuesday a two-phased plan that will eventually allow businesses like restaurants to open back up once the state gets a better handle on the coronavirus pandemic.

The Healthy Washington plan breaks the state into eight regions that are largely tied together by health care systems, and uses metrics to determine when the counties in designated regions can begin to reopen.

“We’re not moving forward in a big way today, but we needed a new plan, and this takes us in the right direction,” Inslee said at a news conference.

Before moving to Phase 2 each region will need to meet four metrics, which include a 10% decreasing trend in case rates during the previous two-week period; a 10% decrease in COVID-19 hospital admission rates during the previous 14 day period; an ICU occupancy rate that’s less than 90%; and a test positivity rate of less than 10%.

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