Thurston County expects to apply next week to move to Phase 3 of reopening the economy

Though there has been a recent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases reported, Thurston County public health officials remain confident the county will be able to apply to move to Phase 3 of re-opening next week, after spending three weeks in Phase 2.

Thurston County is eligible to apply to move to Phase 3 of re-opening Wednesday, June 17, and is preparing its application, according to county Public Health Director Schelli Slaughter.

The county was able to apply for a variance to move to Phase 2 in May because there were fewer than 10 cases per 100,000 residents over a 14-day span. The governor has since expanded that criteria, and the latest standard is, amid other metrics, fewer than 25 cases per 100,000 residents over 14 days.

Variances can be revoked if data shows circumstances in a county have changed, according to the state Secretary of Health.

Previously, the county wasn’t sure if the state would hold Thurston to the standard used to grant its approval to move to Phase 2 or the new standard — but Slaughter told The Olympian Tuesday that the county has since learned it will use the updated guidance.

The “threshold” that could spark discussion with the state about modifying or revoking a variance is now 74 cases in a 14-day period, Slaughter told commissioners Tuesday. As of Monday, the county had confirmed 42 new cases in a 14-day period.

Reverting back to Phase 1, Yu wrote in her letter Tuesday, is “unlikely.”

“We will be prepared next Wednesday, barring any unforeseen circumstances that really threaten the health of the public, which we don’t foresee,” Slaughter told The Olympian.

County public health officials continue to stress that, though many of the recent COVID-19 cases are tied to care facilities, the staff members and their contacts who have tested positive are out in the community. All residents still need to be taking precautions such as maintaining distance from other people, wearing face coverings, and washing hands frequently.

“The COVID problem continues to be here — it is not gone,” Yu said to commissioners Tuesday. “And people need to remember that. They don’t need to be afraid, but they need to be careful.”