Spokane County is Currently in Phase 2
Spokane County is currently in Phase 2 of Washington state’s Safe Start Recovery Plan. In each phase, new industries are allowed to open under strict guidance from the state, to protect employees and the public from the spread of COVID-19. To learn more about Spokane county's readiness to progress to the next phase, please visit the state's COVID-19 Risk Assessment Dashboard and filter for Spokane County.
November 16 COVID-19 Guidance - New Temporary Restrictions
On Nov. 15, Gov. Inslee announced new modifications to existing guidance to slow the spread of rapidly increasing COVID-19 cases in Washington state. The governor’s office implemented these changes to ensure that hospital and medical systems are not overwhelmed. Read the SRHD press release for more information pertaining to Spokane County.
For a complete overview, read Gov. Inslee’s Proclamation and Medium blog. Please visit the governor’s website for industry specific information about what is open and what is closed.
So what’s changed?
The new guidance applies to several areas, with rollback restrictions starting at midnight, Nov. 16 and lasting through Monday, Dec. 14.*
- Indoor social gatherings with people from outside your household are prohibited unless all participants quarantine for 14 days prior to the gathering or quarantine for 7 days prior and receive a negative COVID-19 test result within 48 hours before the gathering.
- Outdoor social gatherings are limited to no more than five people from outside of your household.
Additional temporary restrictions are in place for stores, gyms, restaurants, religious services and other activities. Any activities not listed below should follow current guidance. See the guidance document for complete details for each activity. Affected activities and industries include the following:
- Indoor and outdoor social gatherings
- Restaurants and bars
*Modified restaurant and bar restrictions go into effect at 12:01 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. - Fitness facilities and gyms
- Bowling centers
- Miscellaneous venues
- Movie theaters
- Museums, zoos and aquariums
- Real estate
- Weddings and funerals
- In-store retail
- Religious services
- Professional services
- Personal services
- Long-term care facilities
- Youth and adult sporting activities
Read the guidance document for information about modifications to each area.
Previous Guidance
A comprehensive list of guidelines for various industries can be found on Governor Inslee’s COVID-19 Reopening Guidance for Businesses and Workers page. In addition:
- Food establishments, including restaurants and bars, can find details on implementing the guidance on Spokane Regional Health District’s COVID-19 Food Safety page.
- All businesses are required to post signs, by Local Health Officer Directive, encouraging patrons’ use of cloth face coverings.
- Businesses located in buildings that have been mostly vacant for several weeks should consider flushing the building's water lines (plumbing) to move out old, stagnant water.
Additional resources