State in Phase 3 recovery: OK to eat out with friends

You can now eat out with your friends – or anyone else – in La Conner and across Washington. Monday, March 22 the entire state moved into Phase 3 reopening of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Healthy Washington: Roadmap to Recovery.

Citing decreases in COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations and the increasing rates of people getting vaccinated against the coronavirus, Inslee announced this newly created Phase 3 on March 11. Progress in controlling the pandemic will again be evaluated on a county basis, ending the regional metrics system.

La Conner’s bread and butter restaurant sector now seats customers for indoor dining at 50% capacity. Up to 10 people can sit together, with no household restrictions. Night clubs now have this guidance. There is no dancing but some live entertainment is allowed, based on state guidance.

For the first time in a year larger number of spectators are allowed for professional and high school sports and in museums and theatres, with inside capacity increased to 50%, with 400 people maximum for all industries and indoor activities currently allowed. Social distancing and facial covering are still required. Larger venue events are capped at 25% occupancy, or up to 9,000 people, whichever is less, and must follow spectator guidelines.

The state will evaluate counties evaluated every three weeks. The first evaluation is April 12. Evaluations will occur Mondays with changes taking effect the following Friday.

Large and small counties will have different sets of criteria. If any county fails any of the metrics, that county will move down one Phase in the Heathy Washington plan.

Large counties have more than 50,000 residents. They remain in Phase 3 by keeping a 14-day average of new COVID-19 cases at or below 200 per 100,000 residents, and a seven-day average of new hospitalizations per 100,000 at five or fewer.

If the statewide ICU capacity exceeds 90%, all counties will move down one Phase. The Washington Department of Health maintains the ability to move a county forward or backward at their discretion.

For schools, Inslee announced March 15 public K-12 schools must provide opportunities in both remote instruction and on-campus, in-person instruction. Hybrid options must be offered. For K-6, April 5 is the start date. The start date of April 19 is for all students, K-12. Schools must offer students at least two days per week of on-campus, in-person instruction.

La Conner school district plans will meet these requirements in March.

The state is opening up almost a year to the governor’s March 25, 2020 “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” emergency proclamation.