Pierce County approved for Phase 2 in COVID-19 Safe Start plan
▪ ▪ Many of Pierce County’s businesses can now open with limited capacity and other public health safety restrictions.
Pierce County’s application for Phase 2 was approved by the state on Friday.
The second of four phases in Gov. Jay Inslee’s Safe Start plan relaxes restrictions on businesses like restaurants, barber shops and hair and nail salons, and retail with limited capacity.
The county submitted its application to the state Tuesday with mitigation plans to slow the spread of the coronavirus while reopening the economy slowly.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and Pierce County said even with relaxed restrictions, it is more important than ever that people continue to take safety measures like wearing masks, maintaining physical distance of six feet from others, washing hands frequently and staying home if sick.
“While we are eager to see some of the restrictions lifted, I urge our community to continue with the practices that protect themselves, their families and our community,” Executive Bruce Dammeier said in a statement.
Here is what Phase 2 allows, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department:
Recreation
Enjoy outdoor recreation like camping biking, running, or trips to the beach if you maintain six feet of physical distance from people outside of your household.
Social and spiritual gatherings
▪ Choose five friends or non-household members you would also like to see regularly. When you play, eat out, visit, or otherwise socialize, try to limit your close contacts to this group. You can reduce the risk of infection while enjoying more Phase 2 freedom.
▪ Up to 100 people can meet outside for faith-based gatherings. That number doesn’t include staff.
▪ For indoor gatherings, limit to 50 people or 25% capacity, whichever is less. That number doesn’t include staff.
Travel
Travel for essential businesses and services and nonessential travel for all recreation, business and employment needs, and social and spiritual gatherings allowed in Phase 2.
Businesses/Employers
▪ Nannies, housecleaning, etc.
▪ In-store purchases allowed with restrictions.
▪ Professional services/office-based businesses. Telework strongly encouraged.
▪ Hair and nail salons/barbers.
- Must be less than 50% capacity.
- Table sizes no larger than 5 people.
- No bar-area seating.
Pierce County was joined by Clark, Okanogan, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties as approved by the Secretary of Health on Friday. King County was approved to move into a modified version of Phase 1, the Washington Department of Health said in a press release.
As of Friday, 26 counties are in Phase 2.
Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens and Wahkiakum counties have been approved to move from Phase 2 to Phase 3.
To be approved, counties had to meet or show progress in meeting benchmarks announced by Inslee last week. Pierce County met seven of the 11 targets.
Pierce County is expected to remain in Phase 2 for at least three weeks, before applying to move to the next phase.
This story was originally published June 5, 2020 at 11:02 AM.
