OLYMPIA – Gov. Inslee announced Thursday all but six of Washington’s 39 counties will now be able to loosen COVID-19 restrictions and bring back indoor dining, the Seattle Times reports.
In a news conference, Inslee said that five of the eight regions in his latest reopening plan for Washington would advance to the second and less-restrictive phase, including Clallam County’s Northwest region. The move is effective this Monday.
The other 4 regions moving forward are the East, North, North Central and Southwest.
Meanwhile the West and Puget Sound regions — which include King, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston and three other counties — have already advanced to the second phase. Those regions will remain in the second phase.
With Thursday’s announcement, only the South Central region — which includes Benton, Franklin, Columbia, Kittitas, Walla Walla and Yakima counties — will remain in the first and more restrictive phase.
For counties in the second phase, restaurants can bring back indoor service at restaurants to 25% capacity through 11 p.m. Indoor fitness centers and live entertainment venues — such as bowling alleys, museums, and concert halls — can also open up at 25% capacity. Establishments that only serve alcohol and no food, however, are to remain closed.