COVID-19 cases in Skagit County are steadily climbing, with 21 cases found from Friday through Monday. Nine positive test cases were confirmed Friday and again Monday. The Skagit County Board of Health’s decision Friday to stay in Phase 2 was a necessity. The Board followed the recommendations they heard from County Public Health Director Jennifer Johnson and Public Health Officer Howard Leibrand.

“We are not eligible to submit,” Johnson said. “We are not meeting the metrics” of the state’s risk assessment dashboard. The County was at 27.1 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents th...