Indoor dining resumes as more contagious variant arrives

Farrelli’s Pizza reopened for indoor dining on Monday with full COVID-19 protocols, capped at 25% capacity.

“It feels good; it’s nice to be out,” said Kelly Gutierrez, dining in Ruston.

“We’re ready for the people that are ready to come back,” said Clayton Crueger of Farrelli’s.

The move to phase 2 of the state’s COVID-19 reopening plan in seven counties comes as new cases are declining.

The restaurant industry is pleased, and some workers are glad to be back.

>>RELATED: Washington’s current reopening plan

Still, others are worried.

Janelle Pfeifer is a server at a restaurant in Pike Place Market.

Although she appreciates her employer’s protocols, she’s concerned about the more contagious variants now showing up in the United States.

“If it was my call, I’d be like, ‘Let’s just stick to outdoor (dining),’” she said.

Last Friday, health officials confirmed the variant that triggered lockdowns in the United Kingdom is now in King County.

It already showed up in Pierce and Snohomish counties.

“The variants are a game changer. They’re faster and more dangerous,” King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin said Friday.

“It’s critical that we move forward with extreme caution because while we’re all eager to be skating along into phase 2 and to have more economic activity, we really don’t know how thick the ice is,” Duchin said.

Last Thursday, Gov. Jay Inslee pointed to people over 65 getting vaccinated as a reason to allow limited restaurant reopening.

“When we have a life ring to wrap around 9 out of 10 Washingtonians in the next couple of months, which we have, which is the vaccine, we believe this is a reasonable step,” said Inslee, referring to the most vulnerable senior citizens.

Cox Media Group