Professional dog walker Michael Silva controls seven dogs as he walks west on Hewitt Avenue in downtown Everett in 2013. Restrictions on pet-walking businesses and other activities are being lifted in Phase 1 of the governor’s plan for reopening the state. (Mark Mulligan / Herald file)

Professional dog walker Michael Silva controls seven dogs as he walks west on Hewitt Avenue in downtown Everett in 2013. Restrictions on pet-walking businesses and other activities are being lifted in Phase 1 of the governor’s plan for reopening the state. (Mark Mulligan / Herald file)

Golfing and hiking return but a hair cut is out until June

Phase one begins today; barber shops, hair salons and limited restaurant dining coming next month.

OLYMPIA — The state’s phased reopening gets formally under way Tuesday, though it may be June 1 before hair salons and barber shops can operate and eating in a restaurant is possible.

And it will be Independence Day, at the earliest, before this whole unwinding of a statewide stay-home order is done.

“We think it’s a balanced, cautious data-driven approach,” David Postman, chief of staff to Gov. Jay Inslee, said of the plan dubbed ‘Safe Start Washington.’ “I say cautious. That’s what these times demand.”

Inslee outlined each of four planned phases Friday when he also extended his stay-home order through May 31.

Tuesday marks the first day of Phase 1. Golfers can get back on their favorite course, hikers can trek through state parks and hunting and fishing are possible again. Many construction workers are on job sites again, too.

In a matter of days, auto dealers could welcome customers and retailers could complete curbside sales as the state undertakes the staged restart of public life and an economy put largely on hold since mid-March to blunt the spread of coronavirus responsible for the deadly COVID-19.

Inslee released an update of his plan Monday. It had minimal changes, the most notable being that professional sporting events without audience could be allowed in the third phase, which could start in mid- to late June.

Postman and other members of the Inslee administration offered further details in an afternoon briefing for reporters.

The second phase — in which hair salons can operate and limited restaurant dining is possible — would come no sooner than June 1. There will be at least three weeks between subsequent phases, meaning stay-home restrictions won’t be fully lifted until at least early July.

But a spike in cases, hospitalizations or deaths could cause the governor to renew restrictions at any point, officials repeatedly said Monday. Data show that social distancing is working in the state’s fight against the novel coronavirus, but it’s too early to ease restrictions, they said.

Fully reopening the state will require widespread testing and contact tracing — determining who has come in contact with infected people so they can self-quarantine. The state is counting on receiving materials for a half-a-million test kits this month and having 1,500 trained contact tracers deployed by May 11.

“We can’t risk losing our progress. We really want to see this through to where we have this safe start” so the sacrifices that people have made won’t have to be made again, said John Weisman, secretary of the Department of Health.

As of Monday, the Snohomish Health District reported 2,553 confirmed coronavirus cases, with at least 111 deaths. Of the total, 1,752 county patients have recovered. Statewide, there were 15,462 confirmed cases as of Monday, with at least 841 deaths, the state Department of Health said.

Under Phase 1, retail stores will be allowed to offer curbside pickup. Additionally, restrictions will loosen for landscaping, auto, boat and recreational vehicle sales, and pet walking businesses. And drive-in worship services with a limit of one household per vehicle are allowed.

However, businesses in each of those sectors cannot start up immediately. They must wait until guidance specific to their industry is published by the governor’s office. In some cases, that should be done in a matter of days, officials said. This will be the process for each sector in each future stage.

In Phase 2, restaurants can open at 50% dine-in capacity with no more than five people at a single table; retail stores, hair and nail salons, barber shops and housecleaning can reopen; manufacturing and new construction can restart, and camping and gatherings with no more than five people outside a household per week will be allowed.

The third phase will allow recreational sports with five to 50 people, gatherings of fewer than 50 people, all non-essential travel and open facilities like public pools, libraries and museums. Restaurants could operate at 75% dine-in capacity, bars at 25% and indoor gyms and movie theaters at 50%. Professional sporting events without a crowd are allowable in this phase.

In the final stage, the limit on crowd size will be lifted, enabling nightclubs and concert venues to reopen, restaurants to operate at full seating capacity, and major sporting events to be held with fans. It still encourages social distancing for those most vulnerable to the disease.

Another element of the staged approach will allow counties with a population of less than 75,000 that have not identified a resident with COVID-19 for the past three weeks to seek a variance to move to Phase 2 before the rest of the state. Up to 10 counties could apply.

Postman acknowledged there a lot of people unhappy that they can’t reopen their businesses sooner.

“We hear from those folks every day,” he said. “Everybody would like to move up, we understand that.”

Some people are not waiting.

This past weekend customers lined up for a hair cut at a Snohomish barber who violated the stay-home order with a very public act of civil disobedience. The Department of Licensing will be notifying the owner to make sure they understand the potential consequence which include a suspension or loss of license.

“The message to that business and other businesses is don’t do this. You could get people sick,” Postman said, adding some who get infected could die.

Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@herald net.com. Twitter: @dospueblos.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

x
State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

Bothell
Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

Guns for sale at Caso’s Gun-A-Rama in Jersey City, New Jersey, which has been open since 1967. (Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/New Jersey Monitor)
After suing, WA gets carveout from Trump administration plan to return gun conversion devices

The Trump administration has agreed to not distribute devices that turn semi-automatic… Continue reading

The Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility about 16 miles east of Ellensburg in central Washington is part of Puget Sound Energy’s clean energy portfolio. (Courtesy of Puget Sound Energy)
Megabill’s elimination of tax credits for clean energy projects could cost WA $8.7 billion

Washington households could see electricity costs increase $115 per year by 2029; 21,800 workers could lose their jobs by 2030, analysts say.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Everett mayor candidates focus on affordability, city budget in costly race

As incumbent Cassie Franklin seeks a third term in office, three candidates are looking to unseat her.

Everett
Judge sentences man, 73, for intending to have sex with ‘teen’ in Everett

The Arizona man sent explicit images to an agent posing as a 13-year-old. Investigators found images of child sexual abuse on his phone.

State’s draft of climate action plan open for public comment

Residents can submit public comments or climate-related stories online through Aug. 22.

The Edmonds School Board discusses budget cuts during a school board meeting on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds school board approves 2025-26 budget

After facing an estimated $8.5 million shortfall earlier in the year, the board passed a balanced budget Tuesday.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.