In an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19 Kitsap County commissioners opted to suspend the enforcement of a recently-passed ban on single-use plastic bags.

Until further notice, Kitsap’s grocery stores and retailers may continue to use any bag they choose including “previously prohibited film single-use plastic bags and will not be required to charge an $0.08 pass-through fee for each bag,” according to a Friday statement from the commissioners’ office.

The move to suspend the ban came after requests from the Northwest Grocers Association and Washington Food Industry Association as a method for reducing the spread of the virus to essential grocery store workers. The suspension was also strongly endorsed by the Kitsap Public Health District. Bainbridge Island and Port Orchard also recently took similar actions to curb the spread of the virus.