Pierce County Submits Application To Enter Phase 2

PUYALLUP —Pierce County has fully submitted its application to enter Phase 2 of Gov. Inslee's Safe Start plan to reopen businesses and restart Washington's economy.

Pierce County Council held a special meeting Monday morning, and unanimously voted to approve the county's application to enter Phase 2 and begin reopening many businesses. The council's vote was the final step on Pierce County's end: Tuesday County Executive Bruce Dammeier signed the application and officially gave it to the state Secretary of Health, who is now reviewing the application to approve or deny it.

I’m proud that the people of Pierce County have worked so diligently to get to this point,” said Dammeier in a statement following the submission. “And, I’m confident that we can safely and responsibly transition to the next phase of our recovery.”

The so-called "variance" applications require that a county's hospitals, health officers, board of health and county commission or council unanimously support the move into Phase 2. The county must also demonstrate that it can provide adequate testing and quickly respond to new outbreaks as they arise.

Pierce County's application came together in a matter of days. On Friday, Gov. Inslee announced that new, looser requirements for entering Phase 2 would go into effect beginning Monday. Over the weekend, health officials worked to build the variance application and on Sunday the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health voted unanimously to approve the county's application to enter Phase 2, passing it forward to the county council who then gave it the county's full approval.

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In approving the application to enter Phase 2, the county board of health highlighted several key factors that they believe qualify Pierce County to enter Phase 2:

• Low case count: Pierce County currently has an average of 11 new cases of the coronavirus per 100,000 people for the last 14 days. The latest guidelines require a county have fewer than 25 per 100,000 residents
• Aggressive testing: health officials say they can meet the need for thorough testing as businesses reopen.
• Contact tracing: the board of health says Pierce County currently has 60 staff and volunteers trained for contact tracing and can investigate 30 coronavirus cases per day. Their goal is to eventually have 200 contact tracers trained, enough to handle 350 cases a day and interview up to 1,400 people daily if needed.

“Our objectives are to begin to restore our society and local economy while we protect the health of all county residents,” said Director of Health Anthony L-T Chen. “Even as we prepare to move into Phase 2, we need to continue to be cautious and follow state and local public health guidance to prevent a rapid surge of cases in Pierce County.”

If Pierce County sees its application to enter Phase 2 granted, a variety of businesses will be allowed to return to work, including restaurants, salons, manufacturers, gyms, retailers and more. Each industry has been given unique safety guidelines they will need to follow to prevent further coronavirus transmissions. Social distancing requirements will also remain in effect, but restrictions on nonessential travel will be loosened so that residents can travel to and from reopened businesses.

While entering Phase 2 would be a huge step forward for Pierce County and its economy, health officials say it's not the time to get complacent: a new outbreak of the virus could knock Pierce County back into Phase 1. They urge the public to continue washing their hands, wearing face coverings in public and staying home if they feel sick.

"This doesn't mean people can go out and have huge beach parties," said Chen.

Related stories:

• New Reopening Rules For Washington Go Into Effect Monday
• King County To Reopen Some Businesses With 'Modified Phase 1'
• Washington Begins Contact Tracing: Here's How It Will Work