Coronavirus: Colorado, Nevada Join 'Western States Pact'

OLYMPIA, WA — Two more states have signed on to the Western States Pact, a regional partnership to develop a shared strategy for reopening the economy, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Monday.

Colorado and Nevada will join Washington, Oregon and California to share information and best practices, streamlining the gradual lifting of restrictions across the West Coast.

Both states' governors released statements on their decision Monday morning.

"I'm thrilled Colorado is joining the Western States Pact," Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said. "There's no silver bullet that will solve this pandemic until there is a cure so we must have a multifaceted and bold approach in order to slow the spread of the virus, keep our people safe and help our economy rebound."

"Millions of visitors from our fellow Western states travel to Nevada every year as a premier tourism destination, and this partnership will be vital to our immediate recovery and long-term economic comeback," Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said.

Washington, Oregon and California first announced the agreement April 13, which allows each state to build specific plans while following a uniform framework. Inslee welcomed the two new states to the fold Monday morning.

"In Washington state, our decisions are guided by public health data and science, and this is a principle we share up and down the West Coast," Inslee said. "Governor Polis and Governor Sisolak are taking that approach as well, and the addition of their states will strengthen this regional partnership and save lives."

The pact identifies three "shared principles" and four goals as each state transitions into the next phase of the coronavirus response.

Three shared principles:

• Our residents’ health comes first. As home to one in six Americans and gateway to the rest of the world, the West Coast has an outsized stake in controlling and ultimately defeating COVID-19.
• Health outcomes and science – not politics - will guide these decisions. Modifications to our states’ stay at home orders must be made based off our understanding of the total health impacts of COVID-19, including: the direct impact of the disease on our communities; the health impact of measures introduced to control the spread in communities —particularly felt by those already experiencing social disadvantage prior to COVID-19; and our health care systems’ ability to ensure care for those who may become sick with COVID-19 and other conditions. This effort will be guided by data. We need to see a decline in the rate of spread of the virus before large-scale reopening, and we will be working in coordination to identify the best metrics to guide this.
• Our states will only be effective by working together. Each state will work with it’s local leaders and communities within its borders to understand what’s happening on the ground and adhere to our agreed upon approach.

Four shared goals:

• Protecting vulnerable populations at risk for severe disease if infected. This includes a concerted effort to prevent and fight outbreaks in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
• Ensuring an ability to care for those who may become sick with COVID-19 and other conditions. This will require adequate hospital surge capacity and supplies of personal protective equipment.
• Mitigating the non-direct COVID-19 health impacts, particularly on disadvantaged communities.
• Protecting the general public by ensuring any successful lifting of interventions includes the development of a system for testing, tracking and isolating. The states will work together to share best practices.