Governor Inslee Tightens Restrictions

“I have to report to Washingtonians [that today] is the most dangerous public health day in over 100 years in our state’s great history.” This is how Governor Inslee’s speech began, when he announced that he will be tightening restrictions on businesses all across Washington. 

Inslee warned that left unchecked, this “potentially fatal disease” will “assuredly result in grossly overburdened hospitals, it will keep people from receiving routine but necessary medical treatment because of the stresses our hospitals will be under.” “We will not allow these things to happen…” Inslee continues on to say that there have been two waves of growth with the pandemic, and that we are now facing a third wave that is “trending to be more dangerous than any we have seen before.” 

“We have to take bold, decisive action, and we are doing that today…” Inslee continues “.. The restrictions we are announcing today, which will be in effect until December 14th, are not as [restrictive]… as our stay at home order in March, but every part of our state will see rollbacks in some sense.” 

Inslee says this is what will take effect at midnight on Monday:

  1. Indoor Social Gatherings with people from outside your household are prohibited unless they quarantine for fourteen days prior to the social gathering, or quarantine for seven days prior to the social gathering and receive a negative COVID19 test result no more than 48hours prior to the gathering.
  2. Outdoor Social Gatherings shall be limited to five people from outside your household. 
  3. Restaurants and Bars are closed for indoor dine-in service. Outdoor dining and to-go service are permitted, provided that all outdoor dining  complies with the requirements of the Outdoor Dining Guidance. Table size for outdoor dining is limited to a maximum of five people. 
    • These modified restaurant and bar restrictions go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, November 18, 2020. 
  4. Fitness Facilities and Gyms are closed for indoor operations. Outdoor fitness classes are permitted, but are subject to and limited by the outdoor social gathering restriction listed above. 
  5. Bowling Centers are closed for indoor service. 
  6. Miscellaneous Venues: All retail activities and business meetings are prohibited. Only professional training and testing that cannot be performed remotely, as well as all court and judicial branch-related proceedings, are allowed. Occupancy in each meeting room is limited to 25 percent of indoor occupancy limits or 100 people, whichever is fewer. 
    • Miscellaneous venues include: convention/conference centers, designated meeting spaces in a hotel, events centers, fairgrounds, sporting arenas, nonprofit establishment, or a substantially similar venue. 
  7. Movie Theaters are closed for indoor service. Drive-in movie theaters are permitted and must continue to follow current drive-in movie theater guidance.
  8. Museums/ Zoos/ Aquariums are closed for indoor service. 
  9. Real Estate: Open houses are prohibited. 
  10. Wedding and Funerals: Ceremonies are limited to a total of no more than 30 people. Indoor receptions, wakes, or similar gatherings in conjunction with such ceremonies are prohibited. 
  11. In-Store Retail shall be limited to 25 percent of indoor occupancy limits, and common/congregate seating areas and indoor dining facilities such as food courts are closed. 
  12. Religious Services are limited to 25 percent of indoor occupancy limits, or no more than 200 people, whichever is fewer. Congregation members/attendees must wear facial coverings at all times and congregational singing is prohibited. No choir, band, or ensemble shall perform during the service. Vocal or instrumental soloists are permitted to perform, and vocal soloists may have a single accompanist. Outdoor services must follow the Outdoor Dining Guidance, found here, applicable to the structure or facility. 
  13. Professional Services are required to mandate that employees work from home when possible and close offices to the public if possible. Any office that must remain open must limit occupancy to 25 percent of indoor occupancy limits. 
  14. Personal Services are limited to 25 percent of indoor occupancy limits. 
    • Personal service providers include: cosmetologists, cosmetology testing, hair stylists, barbers, estheticians, master estheticians, manicurists, nail salon workers, electrologists, permanent makeup artists, tanning salons, and tattoo artists. 
  15.  Long-term Care Facilities: Outdoor visits are permitted. Indoor visits are prohibited, but individual exceptions for an essential support person or end-of-life care are permitted. 
  16. Youth and Adult Sporting Activities: Indoor activities and all contests and games are prohibited. Outdoor activities shall be limited to intra-team practices only, with facial coverings required for all coaches, volunteers, and athletes at all times.

Sources
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/DataDashboard
https://medium.com/wagovernor/inslee-announces-statewide-restrictions-for-four-weeks-c0b7da87d34e

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