Officials say Kitsap County isn't ready for an early reopening amid COVID-19
Kitsap health officials and elected leaders say the county will follow the governor’s phased approach to reopening Washington state, amid increasingly vocal demands to open up local businesses early despite the public health concerns.
Even so, some county and city leaders appear split about the prospects of opening sooner than the state at-large, underscoring an emerging debate about Kitsap County’s path forward.
On Monday, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a “Safe Start” plan designed to reopen businesses and other parts of the state in four stages, with each stage consisting of at least three weeks. Under that plan, less populous counties can apply for a variance if they meet certain criteria, allowing them to move to the next phase before other parts of the state.
To apply, counties with fewer than 75,000 residents need to have no new COVID-19 cases in a three-week time span. Kitsap County doesn’t qualify on either component, said Kitsap Public Health Officer Susan Turner.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/officials-say-kitsap-county-isn-t-ready-for-an-early-reopening-amid-covid-19/ar-BB13QZni?ocid=hplocalnews
