Gov. Jay Inslee Says New Criteria Coming to Approve Variances

Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiesman rejected the variance request from Chelan and Douglas Counties.

Governor Jay Inslee says they are looking at adjusting the metrics they use to permit moving to Phase 2, or a modified version of it.

"That first [set] of criteria was successful. We got 8 or 10 counties to move forward. We will have additional criteria that we will be measuring Chelan and Douglas County against those. We will have more to say about that in the upcoming weeks and days."

The variance request was rejected, at least in part, because the two-county area has had recent positive tests for COVID-19.