Inslee: Washington stay-at-home order will be extended beyond May 4

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Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday announced Washington's stay-at-home order would be extended beyond May 4 to prevent another uptick in the number of novel coronavirus cases.

During a news conference on Wednesday, Inslee said based on the data, the current order would "remain in effect." Inslee did not provide a date for when the order would be lifted, but he said he will provide more details about the phased approach he is taking on Friday.

"The quickest way to reopen our economy is to make sure that we get this job done," he said. "We do not want to go through this pain again."

Inslee said he is looking at several different data measures to figure out when the state can reopen its businesses to make sure there isn't an increase in the number of cases and deaths. The key metrics include health care system readiness, testing capacity and availability, contact investigations and risk to vulnerable populations.

Inslee said there is not one number that can be used to make a decision about lifting the social distancing orders.

"We have to look at all of these...and we have to make sure they all are significantly improved so that we can move to the next phase of reopening our economy."

Inslee first announced the stay-at-home order at the end of March. It was originally scheduled to be in effect for two weeks, but was then extended through May 4.

Inslee had warned in recent days it was likely the state wouldn't be able to safely lift most restrictions by May 4. Public health experts have repeatedly said lifting the stay-at-home order too soon or too quickly could lead to another spike in cases and hospitalizations. Officials have also said widespread testing and contact tracing need to be in place to prevent another surge.

The governor has been gradually announcing plans to ease some restrictions over the past few days on construction and outdoor recreation. During a news conference last week, Inslee said building construction could resume, but specified there needed to be strict safety precautions in place, including social distancing and face masks.

On Monday, he announced plans for the partial reopening of outdoor recreation beginning May 5. The reopening includes the use of some state parks, state lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources and state fish and wildlife areas. Fishing, hunting and playing golf were among the activities that would be allowed to resume.

But even with the eased restrictions, Inslee emphasized the social distancing requirements need to remain in place. People should still only be seeing people who they live with and need to continue to stay six feet apart from others and practice other safety precautions.

As of Wednesday, the Washington State Department of Health reported 13,842 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, including 786 deaths.

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