Washington state to reopen on June 30

In a statement issued by his office on Thursday, Inslee said that all counties in Washington will move to Phase 3 of the 'Healthy WA: Roadmap to Recovery' reopening plan effective May 18 until June 30.

The announcement comes after the Governor paused phase movement for two weeks to review an emerging flattening trend in statewide Covid-19 data.

"What we know now gives us the confidence to close this chapter in this pandemic and begin another," Inslee said at a press conference Thursday.

"This next part of our fight to save lives in Washington will focus on increasing vaccination rates and continuing to monitor variants of concern as we move toward reopening our state."

The full reopening could happen earlier than June 30 if 70 per cent or more of Washingtonians over the age of 16 initiate vaccination, the statement said.

Washington has administered over six million doses of a Covid vaccine, and 56 per cent of the state's residents have initiated inoculation.

Inslee also announced that Washington will fully adopt the latest masking guidance issued by the CDC, which does not requite fully vaccinated people to wear a face covering indoors or outdoors.