Inslee announces reopening guidance, renews call for climate action

||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE |||

Reopening guidance

Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday announced more details on what COVID mitigation measures will remain in place after the state’s economy fully reopens June 30 or earlier.

Industries may return to usual operations at that time – with one caveat: the current applicable masking guidance will still be required. There will be capacity restrictions for large indoor event venues, and there will be certain COVID mitigation measures going on in schools and universities.

Large indoor venues that can accommodate 10,000 or more people will be restricted to 75% capacity after the state lifts most COVID restrictions. The guidance will not require physical distancing, but attendees must follow the current masking requirements.

Larger events have a significantly greater risk of spreading disease than smaller events, especially indoors. The governor said the state will reevaluate this restriction at the end of July.

The current travel guidelines, which largely mirror CDC recommendations, will remain in place.

“I would like to reflect on the progress that we have made as a state. This is an incredible time – vaccinations are widely available and free, more than two-thirds of the people in our state have initiated vaccination; and the public’s confidence in this medical miracle grows each day,” Inslee said. “Soon we will be able to go back to more normal operations. We all should be very proud of what we’ve accomplished to save lives.”

Call for climate action

Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday issued a video statement following reports that carbon dioxide levels had reached their highest point in 4 million years.

“Climate change is not only manmade through carbon emissions, but its decimation is revving up faster than many expected. These heat-trapping emissions are changing our lives and world for the worse,” Inslee said. “The conditions of the world we live in were handed down through the eons, but it took human industry just a few generations to cause damage that could be irreparable. We can save our climate – and with it, our way of life – but time is running out.”

Watch the video here.