FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 11, 2021

MEDIA CONTACT:
Melissa Morin, Public Information Officer
Whatcom County Health Department
WUC_JIC@co.whatcom.wa.us
(360) 594-2504
https://coronavirus.wa.gov/what-you-need-know/safe-start

Whatcom County Moves to Phase 2 of the Healthy Washington - Roadmap to Recovery Plan

Bellingham, WA - Data released today by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) enables the North Region, which includes Whatcom County, to move to Phase 2 of the Healthy Washington - Roadmap to Recovery Reopening Plan, effective Monday, Feb. 15. 

“This is good news for our community. We’re happy to see that Whatcom is trending in the right direction, and that trend has contributed to our region moving forward,” said Erika Lautenbach, director of the Whatcom County Health Department. “This creates more opportunities for our local businesses to open and rebuild and more options for our community to support our local businesses.”  

Businesses and individuals may engage in more activities during Phase 2, but there are still some restrictions. Activities permitted during Phase 2 include indoor social gatherings with 5 or fewer people and outdoor gatherings with 15 or fewer people, both limited to two households. Indoor dining is now permitted with 25% maximum occupancy, and fitness centers may resume appointment-free indoor operations, also with 25% maximum occupancy. Restrictions for worship services, retail stores, professional and personal services remain unchanged. 

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More activities are permitted during Phase 2, but some restrictions remain in place.

Restrictions may be further loosened in the future if current trends continue their downward trajectory. The next Roadmap to Recovery update will be released on Feb. 26.
 
“We’re here because we’ve done the hard work,” said Lautenbach. “We can’t let up, though. Let’s keep up our habits of mask wearing, hand washing and physical distancing to continue our forward progress.”

This information is also available as a pdf.

        We acknowledge that Whatcom County is located on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples. They cared for the lands that included what we’d call the Puget Sound region, Vancouver Island and British Columbia since time immemorial. This gives us the great obligation and opportunity to learn how to care for our surrounding areas and all the natural and human resources we require to live. We express our deepest respect and gratitude for our indigenous neighbors, the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribe, for their enduring care and protection of our shared lands and waterways.
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