Klickitat County, along with the rest of the state of Washington, is moving to Phase 3 of the state’s “Healthy Washington” reopening plan, starting March 22.
According to Gov. Jay Inslee’s office, Phase 3 expands indoor capacities, allowing spaces such as restaurants, bowling alleys, and movie theaters to operate at 50-percent occupancy. The new phase will also allow in-person spectators at events as well as participation for indoor events with capacity limits specific to the size of the event. Additional information will be posted this week with industry-specific guidance, please refer to the Washington State Coronavirus webpage for those updates.
Sports guidance in Phase 3 will also allow in-person spectators at events for the first time in over a year, according to the governor’s office. Spectators will be allowed to attend outdoor venues with permanent seating with capacity capped at 25 percent. The change affects both professional and high school sports, as well as motorsports, rodeos, and other outdoor spectator events. Social distancing and facial covering are still required, according to the governor’s office.
Additionally, Inslee announced that starting Wed., March 17, everyone in Phase 1B, Tier 2 will be eligible for their COVID vaccine. Inslee announced the following groups of people are newly eligible for the vaccine:
Anyone with two or more comorbidities (medical conditions)
Anyone between the ages of 60-64
Anyone living in congregate settings (e.g. correctional facilities, group homes for those with disabilities, those experiencing homelessness)
Additional workers in congregate settings (e.g. restaurants, manufacturing, construction)
Klickitat County Health Director Erinn Quinn said that news of increased vaccine eligibility came on the one-year anniversary of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Klickitat County that was reported on March 18, 2020.
Klickitat County residents who meet the current vaccine phase criteria are encouraged to call and schedule an appointment with any local health care providers who are offering COVID-19 vaccinations including Klickitat County Health Department, Klickitat Valley Health, Skyline Health, and NorthShore Medical. If you are unsure if you qualify for the vaccine, you can call your provider or visit www.findyourphasewa.org.
There have been more than 745 cases of COVID-19 and nine deaths impacting county residents since that first case was reported, Quinn said. After a challenging year, the first vaccines were administered in Klickitat County in late December 2020. Nearly 10,000 vaccinations have been administered since then.
Quinn also said that the metric system which evaluates COVID-19 statistics will be transitioning to a system which evaluates reopening progress based on individual counties. Prior to the change, counties were grouped into eight regions and moved forward or backward with their region.
To stay in Phase 3, the required metrics for our county will be to maintain 30 or fewer cases in a 14-day period and three or fewer hospitalizations in a seven-day period.
“Currently, Klickitat County is doing amazing with only two active cases and four new cases in the last fourteen days. As long as we continue to make good healthy decisions and take the precautions necessary we will be able to continue in Phase 3 and enjoy the additional opportunities that are allowed,” Quinn wrote in a March 18 announcement.
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