This is it – our final daily roundup, 16 months after our first one. We’ll move to weekly Friday night updates for now. But first, the Tuesday news, on Reopening Eve:
GOVERNOR’S STATEMENT: No in-person statement from Gov. Jay Inslee, but we and other media received this:
Washington has come a long way since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the country was found in our state January 2020, and that is in no small part due to Washingtonians’ dedication and resilience in protecting themselves and their communities throughout the pandemic.
Because folks listened to science and stayed home to stay healthy, wore masks, and got vaccinated, we can now safely fully re-open our state’s economy and cultural centers after 15 long months. It hasn’t been easy, but I’m proud of how Washingtonians came together, persevered and sacrificed to fight this virus, and now we’re finally in a place that is safe enough to end this chapter.
Even though Wednesday marks a new stage in our continued efforts to defeat this pandemic, we still have work to do. Continued success depends on everyone getting vaccinated and encouraging any loved one who has not yet received this lifesaving vaccine to do so, and quickly. Let’s keep it up, Washington – get vaccinated and stay safe.
BRIEFING TOMORROW: State health officials are still having their weekly media briefing on Reopening Day – this time, 2:15 pm Wednesday. You can watch live here.
NEWEST NUMBERS: Checking the daily summary from Seattle-King County Public Health:
*112,514 people have tested positive, 34 new since yesterday
*1,657 people have died, unchanged since Saturday
*6,502 people have been hospitalized, 6 more than yesterday
One week ago, the totals were 111,757/1,618/6,314.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
NATIONAL/WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 181.8 million cases worldwide, 33.6 million of them in the U.S. – see other nation-by-nation stats by going here.
MASK DIRECTIVE LIFTED: King County has ended the recommendation – but that does NOT mean you can’t or won’t be asked to wear a mask at a business, institution, etc., so keep one handy.
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