Reopening plan paused with Yakima County in Phase 3; local officials seek further rollback of restrictions | Coronavirus

“It would not make sense to open (only) four tables,” said Umapon Lothong, who works at the restaurant with her mother and the restaurant’s owner and chef, Chalisa Weippert.

The business won’t need to worry about a drop in capacity for at least the next two weeks.

Yakima County will remain in Phase 3 under a two-week pause of the state’s Healthy Washington reopening plan, announced Tuesday by Gov. Jay Inslee.

Depending on the state’s progress on vaccinations and curbing COVID-19’s spread, a more substantial reopening could occur by summer, Inslee said during a news conference.

The Yakima County commissioners, however, don’t want to wait for the state to act. In a letter sent to Inslee on Tuesday, Commissioners Ron Anderson, Amanda McKinney and LaDon Linde urged the governor to remove all restrictions and allow the local authorities of each county to manage the COVID-19 response.

Commissioners said they no longer want businesses to be set back by “some artificial numbers.”

“Department of Health guidelines need to be recommendations, not state law,” the commissioners wrote in the letter, which was released to media Tuesday.

Inslee said Tuesday that he decided to take a pause after consulting the state Department of Health and looking at updated data.

That data indicates a plateau in COVID-19 activity in the past few days after what appeared to be a fourth wave of cases in recent weeks. Inslee noted that while hospitalizations were up, hospital staff have managed the COVID-19 patient load and that hospital stays have been shorter. In addition, there has not been the increase in deaths seen in previous waves of COVID-19 spread.

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Yakima County has been on the decline for nearly two weeks after a rise in cases during the first half of April. According to figures from the state Department of Health, cases peaked at 280 per 100,000 people for the 14 days ending April 14. They dropped to 228.1 per 100,000 for the 14 days ending April 26.

Hospitalizations have also declined. It was as high as 9.7 per 100,000 for the seven days ending on April 9. That has dropped to 5.0 per 100,000 as of the seven days ending April 22. Incomplete data from recent days indiate a further decline.

Using the latest numbers, Yakima County looked in line to remain in Phase 3 under the state’s requirements. Counties of more than 50,000 people were required to either have new COVID-19 cases under 200 per 100,000 people over 14 days or hospitalizations under five per 100,000 over seven days.

Phase 3 allows up to 50% occupancy or 400 people maximum, whichever is lower, for all indoor spaces. Indoor gatherings of up to 10 people and outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people are permitted.

All but four counties are in Phase 3. Whitman, Pierce and Cowlitz moved down to Phase 2 several weeks ago after not meeting benchmarks. Public health officials in Ferry County moved down to Phase 2 on April 30 after a COVID-19 outbreak in Republic, the county seat, leading to the county reporting the highest rates not just statewide, but in the entire U.S.

Inslee praised Ferry County public health officials and said that local counties would still have the ability to add restrictions if needed.

However, Inslee remained cautious in stating when the state would provide county officials full authority to manage their COVID-19 response and roll back statewide restrictions.

Throughout the news conference, Inslee tied the path to normalcy to getting more people vaccinated.

“We think sometime this summer we can get to a level of vaccination where the state could step back and have local decision making in that regard,” Inslee said.

Inslee said it’s not clear that what percentage of vaccination, combined with natural immunity from those who had COVID-19, would be enough to “break the back of the pandemic” but said he is focused on increasing the number of people getting the vaccine.

“Every single person who is vaccinated is one step closer to that eventual resolution,” Inslee said.

“As we all look forward to a safe and open summer, the best act of service we can do is get the COVID-19 vaccine and continue following public health recommendations,” said Dr. Larry Jecha, interim health officer. “In doing so, we will be able to enjoy more activities as we work to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

Yakima County commissioners took issue with Inslee tying rolling back restrictions to vaccinations, noting that many residents will choose not to be vaccinated.

“Although we can educate and encourage them to be vaccinated, that is their choice,” the commissioners wrote in their letter. “The people who want the protection of the vaccine now have access to a free and readily available supply.”

On Tuesday, Inslee defended the state’s comprehensive response to COVID-19, noting that the number of deaths in Washington from COVID-19 has been lower compared to states that have taken a more hands-off approach.

“That’s the ultimate justification,” he said.

In their letter to Inslee, the commissioners argue that the state is past the need of “severe prohibitive measures” to slow the spread of COVID-19, and noted improving conditions due to vaccines and natural immunity from those who had COVID-19.

“We cannot be governed according to the views of those among us who are most risk-averse,” The commissioners wrote. “The public is tired of this approach and is pushing back hard, as I am sure you are well aware.”

Meanwhile, at The Thai House in downtown Yakima, staff are happy they don’t have to go back to a takeout-only operation, which would have led to fewer customers.

“Everyone wants to be out,” Lothong said. “No one wants to eat out of a to-go box all the time.”