Governor Inslee reveals four phase plan to reopen Washington's economy

Governor Jay Inslee announced the state’s multiphase plan to reopen its economy.

During the same press conference, he also revealed that the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order will be extended to May 31 on Monday.

The state is planning on opening the economy in four phases and will wait a minimum of three weeks before moving between each.

Smaller cities, that haven’t been as hard hit as Seattle and King County, may be able to apply to bypass certain phases by submitting plans to the Department of Health.

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Phase 1:

High-risk populations will continue to stay home. Some outdoor recreation will resume, including hunting, fishing, golf, boating, and hiking.

Public gatherings will still not be allowed, although car washes, drive-through retail sites, and drive-in spiritual services may be allowed.

Essential businesses will remain open, existing construction that meets agreed-upon criteria will be allowed, as well as landscaping, automobile sales, car washes, house cleaning, and pet walking.

Phase 2: 

High-risk populations will continue to stay home. All outdoor recreation involving fewer than five people outside your household can take place, including camping and visiting beaches.

Gatherings of no more than five people outside of your household per week are allowed, and limited non-essential travel is allowed within the proximity of your home.

Remaining manufacturing, new construction, in-home and domestic services, retail, real estate, professional services, and hair and nail salons will be able to open.

Restaurants will be able to open as long as they have a capacity table size no larger than five people. Restaurants will only be allowed to operate at 50% capacity.

Phase 3: 

High-risk populations will continue to stay home. Outdoor group sports activities of five to fifty people can resume. Recreational facilities will open at less than 50% capacity.

Gatherings of 50 people or less will be allowed.

Restaurants with less than 75% of capacity will be allowed to open with table sizes no larger than ten people. Bars will open at less than 25% capacity, and movie theatres will open with less than 50% capacity.

Libraries, museums, and all other business activities except for nightclubs and events can open as long as they have less than 50 people at one time.

Phase 4: 

Public interactions can take place with physical distancing.

All recreational activities can resume, as well as all gatherings. This allows non-essential travel can to resume, as well as the opening of nightclubs and sporting events.

“We have not won this fight against this virus,” said Gov. Inslee in his press conference.

Washington State currently has 14,327 cases of coronavirus, including 814 deaths.

As of Friday, the global known cases of COVID-19 passed the 3.3 million mark, according to Johns Hopkins University.