OLYMPIA — Friday, Gov. Jay Inslee outlined his plan to slowly reopen the state. The plan involves a four-phase process that will rely on continued monitoring and data of the COVID-19 spread.

Even as fishing and other outdoor recreational activities opened on Tuesday, May 5, many other areas of the governor’s initial stay-at-home closure order will remain in place until at least May 31.

“The new normal is not here yet,” Inslee said during a press conference Friday.

Inslee outlined the four-phase process by which businesses — including restaurants and salons — will be allowed to reopen and public gatherings will be allowed to resume. However, each phase will require steady and measurable decreases in the spread of the COVID-19 virus, as well as a fall in deaths, increase in testing capacity and improvements in hospital readiness, Inslee said.

Currently, the state is in Phase 1 of Inslee’s plan, which bans all public gatherings and limits business activity to only “essential businesses.” However, Inslee also said auto dealers and car washes will now be allowed to open. Inslee added that social distancing measures would still need to be observed during each phase — even the final phase, when the stay at home order would be lifted.

“We’re looking at all of these and making a judgment on whether to move to the next phase,” he said. “There will be three weeks between phases as a minimum, and there may be more given the nature of the disease.”

In Phase 2, restaurants would be allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity, small public gatherings of five people would be allowed, new construction could start, hair salons and barbershops would be allowed to reopen, in-store retail purchases could resume and real estate transactions could resume.

Inslee said a number of the industry and business protocols needed to effectively move to Phase 2 should be in place by May 15.

In Phase 3, Inslee said outdoor gatherings of 50 people would be allowed, restaurants could expand to 75 percent of capacity, bars could reopen at 25 percent capacity, gyms and movie theaters could reopen at 50 percent capacity and libraries, museums and “all other activities” except nightclubs could resume so long as 50 or fewer people are present.

In Phase 4, the “stay-at-home” order will be lifted and large sporting events, concerts, nightclubs and any gathering of more than 50 people will be allowed.

At the pace the governor has set, it would be mid-July at the earliest before something resembling pre-pandemic life returns.

The governor said that the 10 least affected counties in the state — a list that includes Lincoln and Kittitas counties but does not include either Grant or Adams counties — can apply for “variances” that will allow them to leapfrog the process so long as they show they retain enough capacity to deal with COVID-19 cases.

Also on Friday, approximately 60 people gathered on the lawn of the Grant County Courthouse to ask Inslee to ease restrictions on movement and business he imposed to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

“I’ve seen how it’s affecting people,” said organizer Franchesca Simpson, who has family members who are seeing severe financial impacts from the shutdowns.

Grant County Prosecutor Garth Dano was among the people listening to the speakers and accepted an invitation to speak.

Dano said he was proud of people exercising their rights. He also said Grant County officials have written letters to Inslee, asking for an easing of restrictions, and that he has called Inslee’s office.

“We ask the governor, respectfully, to open Grant County,” Dano said.

Other speakers urged people to help and look out for family, friends and neighbors, to vote and to learn more about the coronavirus.

Charles Featherstone and Cheryl Schweizer contributed to this report.