Counties question regional reopening plan, Inslee doesn’t budge

EDMONDS, Wash. - Snohomish County has alerted the governor that if it can meet the reopening metrics on its own, it will ask to be split off from the rest of its reopening region, which includes the more populated King and Pierce counties. 

Three weeks into a regional approach to reopening, not a single one of the state’s eight regions is ready to advance to the second phase. 

"I look at things daily, we look at the charts and the maps, we are all in the black as far as today," said Jeff Barnett, who owns Salish Sea Brewing in Edmonds. 

Barnett said he understands why Snohomish County does not stand alone.

"I think it makes sense since we are so close to King County, we’re only five blocks north of King County line," he said. 

Related: Snohomish County ready to vaccinate 30,000 a week, but receives just 3,300 doses

But Snohomish County officials say the county is heading in the right direction with COVID-19, and if it can meet the metrics to reopen on its own, they don’t want to be dragged down by the rest of Puget Sound.

"We’re in discussions with the state every day about this issue and we know we’re not the only ones with this concern," said Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers.

The rolling 2-week case rate in Snohomish County is plunging from winter spikes but so far the county is meeting just two of the four reopening metrics set forward by the state.

Related: Washington ranks 37th in nation for percentage of vaccine doses used, vows to do better

The county is currently missing the desired test positivity threshold by 1% and shows increasing case rates, not decreasing, over the latest 2-week period pulled by the state. 

The county does, however, meet both health care readiness metrics with reducing COVID-19 hospitalizations and an adequate number of available ICU beds. The Puget Sound region as a whole does not meet the hospital admissions metric.

"If we continue in a downward trend and are meeting all of the criteria, we’ve already let the governor’s office know that we would be asking to be cut off from, split off from the rest of the region," Somers said.

Related: Entire state of Washington to remain in Phase 1 of new COVID-19 plan through Jan. 25

"I think that’d be great," Barnett said. "I think if our health department can work with us to set some guidelines and be understanding and work with us and communicate with us then it’s a win for everyone."

The governor’s office confirmed that Snohomish County has reached out about wanting to break away from the region if it meets the four metrics to move on to the second reopening phase. A spokesperson said they weren’t aware of other counties that had made that type of request but were aware that other counties disagreed with the regional approach. 

However, when Q13 News asked Gov. Jay Inslee if he’d consider letting counties who qualify break off, he declined.

"There’s a reason we went to regions," Inslee said. "I’ve articulated those, that we want to be consistent with the medical delivery system, we wanted groups to work in concert so no, we’re not thinking about that."

He did say, however, that he’s always thinking about the phases and considering the best way to move forward. 

"At least they set some guideline," Barnett said. "It’ll take some time, we need to be patient."