La Conner businesses have started to reopen this week, before the Washington Department of Health has approved Skagit County’s application to move into Phase 2 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Stay Safe COVID-19 order for phased re-opening of Washington’s economy.

Monday afternoon the Washington Department of Health received the application from the Skagit County Board of Health. This updated the 60 page application the Skagit County Commissioners, acting both in their own capacity and as the Board of Health, submitted Friday.

The County’s Monday submittal was in response to the state’s modifying guidelines Sunday based on a county-by-county approach.

Department of Health Secretary John Weissman will make a decision within one to three business days, Jessica Baggett, a department public information officer, said Tuesday morning.

She said there would be a decision this week and that the timeframe would depend on follow-ups and getting responses back from the Skagit County Public Health Department.

Moving into Phase 2 reopening will take effect the day an approval letter is sent to Public Health Director Jennifer Johnson, said Baggett. The letter will include approval criteria the County must follow. Since Skagit County has followed Phase 1 guidance and has required criteria in place, the application will go into effect immediately, she said.

Friday afternoon County Commissioner Ron Wesen expressed his hope for a quick approval. He was not surprised that the state had turned down the May 22 application for a variance, saying the County knew that it did not meet all the criteria. The chief benchmark then, of 10 new cases per 100,000 residents over a 14 day period for counties with populations over 75,000 to apply has been recalibrated to 25 new cases per 100,000 residents.

The County recorded 14 new cases from May 14-28. In the two week period ending May 31, there were 10 positive cases reported, with eight of the cases tested the week starting May 24. The epidemiological curve is flattened, with the doubling time in the county now 46 days, from 218 cases on April 16 to 435 cases May 31.

Wesen pointed to the County’s preparations and ability to provide tests, do conduct contact tracing, quarantine or isolate people and the readiness of the healthcare system. He said that arrangements have been made to lease a Motel 6 in Burlington and use Camp Korey to isolate people testing positive.

Wesen also stressed the need to be personally responsible, with social distancing, mask wearing and keeping groups down to five people once Phase 2 is approved, saying “We have to make sure individuals do the respectful thing.”

He also shared the concern for both the economic hardship of individuals and businesses and the increased reports of alcohol use and depression, both locally and internationally, from the long isolation.

Phase 2 opening allows, following guidelines, barbershops, hair salons, restaurant, retail and other businesses to operate at defined capacities under state guidelines, including having business health plans.

The Secretary of Health may approve a county moving in whole to the next phase, or may only approve certain activities in the next phase. A three week minimum is required between plan phases.

The governor’s Safe Start order will expire at midnight July 1.