OLYMPIA, Wash. — Governor Jay Inslee announced a return to stricter coronavirus restrictions Sunday.
Indoor social gatherings outside of someone’s household are now prohibited.
Starting tomorrow, bowling alleys, movie theaters, gyms, museums, zoos and aquariums will all be forced to stop any indoor services or activities.
On Wednesday, indoor restaurant dining is prohibited, with outdoor dining allowed at a maximum group size of 5 per table.
David Jones, owner of the Blazing Onion restaurant in Seattle, told KOMO his business will have a large group of customers that he won’t be able to bring back.
The restrictions, which will be in effect at least through December 14th, do not change guidelines currently in place for schools, higher education and childcare.
Gyms and fitness centers will be closed, and retailers will be limited to 25% store capacity.
The state health department reported 48 new positive virus tests for Whatcom County residents Saturday, the most recent data available, the highest daily county since the pandemic began.
Western Washington University reported its highest *weekly* count last week, with four infections on 825 tests.
Whatcom County’s positivity rate, while still meeting the state’s goal, is on the rise, as is the Western Washington effective reproductive number, indicating accelerating spread.
In the past month, two people have died from COVID-19 in Whatcom County.
As of Friday, about 8% of county hospital beds were available, with 5 persons hospitalized with COVID-19.