Social distancing must be successful to reopen Washington, says governor

OLYMPIA, Wash. (NEWS 1130) – Before the state can begin unwinding economic and social policies aimed at stymieing the spread of COVID-19, Governor Jay Inslee says social distancing must prove successful. And even then, the economy will only open up in stages.

Modeling used by the state shows that Washington is making significant progress in “flattening the curve,” with social distancing keeping infection numbers lower than initial projections showed, Inslee says.

Those models will ultimately help state leaders decide when the first phase of the “transition” might begin — a slow loosening of social distancing requirements.

But that hinges on when social distancing proves successful enough to keep the infection curve from spiking up again.

When that happens, the focus turns away from the many, and on to the few.

“When your house is on fire, and you call the fire department, they come very quickly. We need the same type of response from a COVID-19 fire brigade.”

The state would need to create a widespread and easy-to-access system of testing and plans for isolating people who test positive. While he admits the technology needed to do that might not be fully realized, Inslee says Washington is home to many savvy people.

He credits that high-tech culture west of the Cascade Mountains as part of the reason the state has managed the pandemic well.

“Our people in Washington accept data and science, and make decisions based on logic and science. And we want to continue that pattern.”

For now, however, Washington state will continue to keep businesses and schools closed, and its population physically distant.