Stay current on Washington's "Safe Start" plan

Governor and Health Secretary announce changes

OLYMPIA—To combat the rising number of COVID-19 cases around the state, Governor Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health John Wiesman announced changes Friday to guidance and regulations under the state’s “Safe Start” plan.

The changes center around restaurants, bars, and fitness centers, as well as weddings and funerals. Inslee and Wiesman said the state must suppress the current rise in COVID-19 transmission to allow more activities later in the year.

“These prohibitions are part of our approach, but they only supplement what we really need, which is for individuals to continue to make safe decisions and adhere to healthy practices,” Inslee said.

“Looking ahead to the fall and hopes of school reopening, we must dig back in order to regain control. Fewer shorter and safer interactions are crucial. Staying home is still safest, but if you go out, keep it quick, keep your distance from each other, and wear your face coverings,” said Weisman.

Face covering guidelines will expand to require face coverings in any indoor setting outside of your home (not just public buildings). The outdoor requirement extends to non-public settings when one can’t maintain six feet of distance from non-household members.

The restrictions announced Thursday by Governor Inslee also include:

Indoor dining at restaurants is limited to members of the same household per table. Small parties from different households can still dine at the same table outdoors.

• No indoor service at any bar, brewery, tavern, winery, or distillery, regardless of whether food is served.

• Restaurants must close down game areas, such as those for cards, video games, pool tables, and darts until their county has reached the fourth phase.

• Restaurants must stop serving alcohol at 10 p.m.

• Effective August 10, wedding ceremonies and funerals are permitted, with an indoor occupancy level of 20 percent, or up to 30 people whichever is less. Receptions are not allowed.

• Second-phase counties — like Walla Walla — must limit guests of indoor fitness spaces to five at a time. Those indoor places include, but are not limited to, gyms, pools, fitness studios, and tennis facilities.

• For counties in the third phase like Columbia County – parties dining indoors are limited to not more than five household members per table and indoor occupancy up to 50%.

• Third-phase counties must cap indoor fitness occupancy to 25 percent and not more than ten people to a group class, not including their instructor.

• Indoor entertainment spaces, like bowling alleys, arcades, mini-golf, and card rooms, are not allowed to open until the fourth phase.

• Indoor movie-theater occupancy for counties in the third phase is now limited to 25% capacity.

“We do not take these steps lightly. We know every prohibition is a challenge for individuals and business owners,” Inslee added. “But we know that if we fail to act, we expose people and businesses to even greater risk down the line,” Inslee said.