Governor orders face coverings for businesses and customers

OLYMPIA — As coronavirus cases surge in many areas of the state, Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday tapped the brakes on reopening and ordered businesses to stop serving customers who fail to wear a face covering.

The governor also said he is imposing a two-week pause on counties advancing from their current phases under the four-step Safe Start process. And he removed restrictions on some activities in Yakima, Benton and Franklin counties, the current epicenter of the epidemic, to discourage travel to other, less restrictive counties and contain the spread.

“We know we need to mask up so we can fully open up our economy,” Inslee said at a news conference. “The better we can protect ourselves from the virus, the better we can prevent the painful shutdowns that have taken place because of the virus.”

Late Wednesday, Inslee signed a proclamation extending through July 9 the rules and guidance for Safe Start reopening, with the expectation he will unveil changes in the program at that time.

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