With COVID-19 numbers in Lewis County again on the rise, Lewis County Superior Court is “strongly encouraging” people to wear masks in the courtroom effective Monday, June 11.
The recommendation is “a measure prior to suspending jury trials once again,” court administration stated in a news release on Friday.
Superior Court will also revert Monday to virtual WebEx appearances for individuals with court dates who are currently housed in the Lewis County Jail with some exceptions, such as trials.
As of Friday morning, Lewis County had 243 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population and 11% of inpatient beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients, according to data from the state Department of Health.
Lewis County was classified as a medium risk in the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention’s most recent COVID-19 community levels, which were calculated on Thursday using data from June 30 to July 6, according to the Seattle Times.
“The rating may fluctuate from county to county and day to day, so the court will make adjustments as needed to this recommendation,” stated court administration in a news release. “If the juror COVID-19 infection rate increases, we may need to implement further restrictions.”
Neighboring Grays Harbor and Thurston counties were classified as high risk in the latest CDC community levels update.
The CDC recommends people wear masks in indoor public spaces when the rating is listed as high.
Masks will be available outside of Superior Court and in the lobby of the Lewis County Law and Justice building in Chehalis.
