WA Reopening: East region getting closer, but no regions ready to move to phase 2

SPOKANE, Wash. — All eight regions in Washington will remain in Phase 1 of the “Healthy Washington” plan through at least January 25, but the latest update from the state shows the East region is close to meeting the necessary requirements to advance to the next phase.

Regions must meet four metrics in order to move into Phase 2 and, as of this writing, the East region – which includes Spokane and eight other eastern Washington counties — is meeting three of those.

The latest data shows the East region is meeting the following:

• Decreasing trend of 10 percent or more in two-week rate of COVID-19 cases per 100k population
• Decreasing trend of 10 percent or more in two-week rate of new COVID-19 hospitalizations
• Less than 90 percent Intensive Care Unit (ICU) occupancy.

The East region is not meeting the desired test positvity rate. The state requires a rate of less than 10 percent and the East region is maintaing a 17 percent test positivity rate.

Once the region begins meeting all requirements, restaurants may open indoor dining at 25 percent capacity and indoor fitness centers will be allowed to begin reopening. Sports competitions will resume with limited spectators and wedding and funeral ceremonies can increase their capacities from current limits.

Learn more about the Healthy Washington plan here. 

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