From the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic 14 months ago, debate has raged over restrictions on social interactions and businesses. Balancing public health with economic concerns is a thankless task that has no verifiably correct answer and requires frequent recalibrating.
The difficulty was evident Tuesday, as Gov. Jay Inslee announced a two-week pause on changes to the status of counties under the state’s reopening plan. While a recent surge in COVID-19 cases suggested that several counties would be rolled back from Phase 3 to Phase 2 on the state’s matrix, Inslee has made a prudent decision that demonstrates effective leadership.
“We are at the intersection of progress and failure, and we cannot veer from the path of progress,” the governor said. “Our economy is beginning to show early signs of growth thanks to some of our great legislative victories and we know vaccines are the ticket to further reopening — if we adhere to public health until enough people are vaccinated.”
Over the past several weeks, Washington has seen increasing numbers of infections. But data from this past weekend indicate that the fourth wave of the virus is leveling off, leading to Tuesday’s decision. The governor’s office reports that case counts and mortalities have not been linked as closely as during previous surges.
Four counties — Cowlitz, Pierce, Whitman and Ferry — are in Phase 2 of the reopening plan, with the rest in the less-restrictive Phase 3. But a surge in infections had led to concerns that others would be returned to Phase 2. Inslee’s directive calls for all counties to remain in their current phase and be reevaluated in two weeks.
Among other restrictions, Phase 3 allows for restaurants, bars and gyms to open at 50 percent capacity. In Phase 2, the limit is 25 percent.
Meanwhile, Inslee also is allowing spectator events and religious services to offer vaccinated-only seating sections that are more densely populated than unvaccinated sections. The goal, in part, is to incentivize vaccinations, but questions remain about the logistics of the plan and how organizations will enforce it.
Either way, the developments are more palatable than the actions of Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. Last week, Brown instituted additional restrictions on counties where coronavirus numbers have surged — including many of the state’s most-populated regions. As of Friday, for example, indoor dining was no longer permissible in Multnomah County.
Inslee said: “The approach to this pandemic, there’s no real playbook for COVID. We are making very difficult decisions based on the best science we have.”
That has frequently drawn criticism, particularly from pundits who believe the restrictions are draconian and are insensitive to the needs of business owners or the freedom of citizens. But until enough people become vaccinated to effectively tamp down infection rates, we are likely to remain in a cycle of evolving guidelines.
That is what happens when a previously unknown disease infects more than 400,000 people in Washington and contributes to more than 5,000 deaths. In Clark County, more than 21,000 confirmed cases have been recorded since the outbreak of the pandemic, contributing to 259 deaths.
With his latest declaration, Inslee has demonstrated a necessary balance between public health and economic concerns. Business restrictions must be viewed as a drastic measure, but sometimes they are necessary in the midst of a deadly pandemic.
The goal now is to reduce infection rates over the next two weeks.
