These are the regions created as part of Gov. Jay Inslee's Healthy Washington plan for reopening the economy.
Lewis County, Thurston County and the rest of Washington state will remain in Phase 1 of the statewide recovery plan until at least Feb. 1.
The Washington state Department of Health released data on its COVID-19 metrics Friday. This is the third consecutive week the entire state has remained in Phase 1 of Gov. Jay Inslee's Healthy Washington plan. To transition into Phase 2, each region must individually meet the state's four criteria:
• The case rate per 100,000 people over two weeks must decline by 10% compared to the previous two weeks.
• The COVID-19 hospital admission rate per 100,000 people over two weeks must decline by 10% compared to the previous two weeks.
• The total intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy rate must be below 90%.
• The test positivity rate must be below 10%.
The West region — which includes Thurston, Lewis, Grays Harbor and Pacific counties — met two of four metrics this week. Last week, it met three and the first week it met one.
Specifically, the West region saw an 8% decrease in its case rate per 100,000 people when comparing the two-week period starting Dec. 13 with the two week period starting Dec. 27. The region also saw a 14% increase in its hospital admission rate when comparing the two-week period starting Dec. 20 with the two-week period starting Dec. 3.
The region did meet the ICU occupancy metric with 88% and the test positivity metric with 9%.
Phase 1 entirely prohibits indoor dining, as well as indoor social and at-home gatherings. However, outdoor gatherings are permitted so long as they include no more than 10 people from two households.
Low-risk sports are permitted in stable groups of no more than five athletes under Phase 1, along with appointment-based fitness training in 45-minute sessions with no more than one athlete per room or 500 square foot area. Low- and moderate-risk sports are also permitted for training but not tournaments.
Additionally, private rentals and tours are permitted only for individual households of no more than six people, and outdoor attractions such as zoos must have timed entry and are limited to groups of 10 with two households per group.
The region will be eligible for the slightly more lenient Phase 2 if it meets all four metrics by next Friday, Jan. 29.
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