Seattle Times staff reporters Elise Takahama and Joseph OSullivan contributed to this report. That means face masks are coming off for all who want to do so in most places starting June 29. Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines continues to be critical for preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. If you have a complaint and wish to file a grievance, or have a question about possible discrimination, please contact the King County Civil Rights Program at civil-rights.OCR@kingcounty.gov; 206-263-2446; TTY Relay 7-1-1; or 401 5th Ave, Suite 800, Seattle, WA 98104. KING COUNTY, Wash. After nearly two years, King County and the City of Seattle will no longer require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. IHME's projections show that COVID-19 transmissions will extend beyond 2021. said Dr. Christopher Murray, director of IHME. There is no cost to you for the COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of immigration or health insurance status. Youre making a choice that by doing that you cant participate in things that are really important to society.". King. Jay Inslee announced a face mask mandate across the state. Jay Inslee's COVID-19 vaccine mandate went into effect Monday. Contact King County COVID-19 Business and Community Information by submitting a written inquiry or report online. With continued high levels of preventable COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations and increased deaths driven by the Delta variant, serious stress on our regional healthcare system, and concern for a significant outbreak resurgence this fall and winter, King County Executive Dow Constantine, Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan and community, health care, small business, and arts and culture partners joined in support of requiring verification of full vaccination or a negative test to enter certain indoor and outdoor activities and establishments. Only children under 12 are exempted from the mandate. The Seattle Times reports from March 1, businesses will be free to impose their own vaccination requirements if they choose, but there. Below are resources and current guidance to help keep your workers and customers safe. Ben Brooks sur LinkedIn : Google Releases A/B Testing Partners to "We are at a critical point in this pandemic, with high levels of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, and no certainty as to what will follow the Delta variant," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. 99% of city employees have complied with Seattle's vaccine mandate, Mayor's Office says May Jenny Durkan's office announced that as of roughly 2:30 p.m., 99% of the city's 11,000 employees have. SEATTLE Washington Gov. the Washington State Nurses Association, and . Seek appropriate reimbursement from the recipients plan or program (example: private health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid) for a vaccine administration fee. Vaccine Verification Rules End Tuesday In King County This is our moment to celebrate the tremendous work the county, businesses, and customers did to make public health a priority saving lives and keeping our economy moving. 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Seattle will continue to follow public health guidance and adopt strategies that best keep our communities safe," said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. Less than 2% of employees were . After more than twenty months, I desperately want to get back to as close to normal as possible, but we can't get there without reducing the risk for all through vaccination, masking, testing, physical distancing, and ventilation. It's been a challenging time. Today, nearly 80% of all King County residents are now fully vaccinated and among those who are eligible to get vaccinated, which are people ages 5 and older, 92% have started the vaccination series. Vaccination and getting boosters when eligible are the most important tools available to prevent severe outcomes from COVID-19 infection. Indoor entertainment and recreational events or establishments such as professional and collegiate sports, entertainment, performing arts, museums, theatre, live music, gyms, and conferences/conventions. . March 1, 2020. Public and constituent inquiries | 360.902.4111 Only children under 12 are exempted from the mandate. Washington to lift mask mandate in health care facilities We also have tools to further reduce the spread of illness through improving indoor air quality (e.g., through ventilation and filtration) and, in some settings, with the use of high-quality, well-fitting masks. King County will stop requiring restaurants and bars to verify customers' vaccination statuses for indoor dining starting March 1, officials announced Wednesday, as case counts and. Preventing further COVID infections is a powerful way to protect the health care system. The lifting of the vaccination mandate for contractors is part of the, Find certified small business contractors and suppliers, Rescinding Vaccination Mandate for Contractors, Executives action to rescind the countys COVID-19 Proclamation of Emergency that was issued on March 1, 2020. We don't want to keep going backwards so if we have to take it to this level, then that's what we need to do, Heigh said. Therefore, it makes sense that vaccination is highly recommended but no longer required for King County and Seattle staff and contractors outside of health care settings, said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health Seattle & King County. Our aim in King County is to efficiently and equitably vaccinate as many eligible King County residents as possible in order to suppress the spread of COVID-19 and minimize the impact of the pandemic on our community. Safeway's AdWith the Fred Meyer weekly flyer, you can find sales for a We need help from the community, and we need more people to get vaccinated. Anyone needing COVID-19 vaccine can visit KingCounty.gov/vaccine to find a vaccine in their neighborhood. Il permet de dtailler la liste des options de recherche, qui modifieront les termes saisis pour correspondre la slection actuelle. There are nearly 300,000 King County residents who are eligible but have not yet started their vaccination series. A negative Covid-19 test from within 72 hours will also be accepted. This is our moment to celebrate the tremendous work the county, businesses, and customers did to make public health a priority saving lives and keeping our economy moving. That work is why we have one of the highest vaccination rates and the lowest cases, hospitalizations, and deaths of any major American city," said Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. Our public health experts believe that now is the appropriate time to lift vaccine verification, based on high rates of vaccine coverage and the decrease in new cases and hospitalizations across the county. Washington State sets vaccine mandate for government and health care workers. Current COVID-19 guidance - King County, Washington The vaccine mandate was an effective and necessary tool for protecting the health and safety of City workers and the public we serve. While the significant benefits of vaccination have not changed, the acute threat to our community and healthcare system has decreased. Masks are now credited, by public health officials, with limiting the spread of Covid-19. The mandate required customers and visitors to provide proof they were fully vaccinated or recently tested negative for COVID-19 before they could participate in a broad array of indoor. COVID-19 information The number of new cases of COVID are leading to far too much suffering. Executive departments will begin to implement their Future of Work plans, which set out how services will be delivered moving forward, whether thats in-person, remotely, or a hybrid of both. King County Executive Dow Constantine, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and others in the community support the order, according to the news release. ", "Seattle was the first region in the country to feel the devastating effects of the COVID-19 virus, and we innovated and brought nation-leading testing and vaccination sites to our residents. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 vaccination record card or photo of card. Seattle and King County will drop vaccine requirements for restaurants Washington State sets vaccine mandate for - The New York Times The order applies inside restaurants and bars. Browse all Safeway locations in the United States for pharmacies and weekly deals on fresh produce, meat, seafood, bakery, deli, beer, wine and liquor. TTY: Relay: 711 Rooted in our shared values of safety and health equity, we will continue to follow this approach as we respond to next steps in the pandemic and continue to advance efforts to ensure a thriving and equitable recovery for all Seattle residents and neighbors.. Starting October 25, Washington state's King County will be requiring proof of vaccination for people to enter restaurants, bars, gyms, and non essential businesses. The requirements are similar to those recently enacted in New York, San Francisco and New Orleans, as well as in Washington states Clallam and Jefferson counties. This button displays the currently selected search type. WA to end masking requirement in health care, correctional facilities, Fire on Lake City Way in Seattle raises smoke, flooding concerns, One Seattle business is taking a stand against tipping mania, Tacoma woman refusing tuberculosis treatment continues to face arrest, Be bolder to get light rail done, expert panel tells Sound Transit. From the beginning of this pandemic, our aim has been to protect the health of our community and save lives. Although our mandatory vaccine verification requirement is ending, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations remain elevated and layered COVID-19 prevention remains important. CDC recommends the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines over J&J for both initial and booster vaccinations. For general questions about COVID-19 in Washington State call the Washington State COVID-19 Information Hotline at 1-800-525-0127. . The mandate will also apply to outdoor events with more than 500 people in attendance. We are at a critical point in this pandemic, with high levels of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, and no certainty as to what will follow the Delta variant. 150 businesses in King County receive complaints over not complying King County drops COVID vaccine requirement for bars, restaurants "These steps forward show we are moving in the right direction and reflect that our region's strong COVID response is the result of a united team effort. COVID-19 vaccine verification requirements for most businesses in King County have been in effect since October of 2021. King County Executive Editors note: This post is no longer being updated. Anyone needing COVID-19 vaccine can visit KingCounty.gov/vaccine to find a vaccine in their neighborhood. The Delta virus is much more contagious, airborne, causes severe illness, and is seriously stressing our hospitals and healthcare providers," said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health Seattle & King County. Additionally, King County and the City of Seattle announced their remote employees would begin returning to offices in March. Duchins order is not meant to be permanent and will be reviewed within six months after the implementation date, officials said. Learn more about eligibility and getting vaccinated in King County. I am not covering everything about this mandate, but it is easy to look up if you have questions. All Rights Reserved. Almost a year after lifting its indoor mask mandate, Washington state will drop mask mandates in health care, long-term care and correctional facilities on April 3, state health officials announced Friday, March 3. . Hours: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Two lawmakers in Washington state want the state and local governments to bring back employees who were fired because they didn't comply with COVID-19 pandemic vaccine mandates. The announcement comes as Washington is experiencing a severe increase in COVID cases and hospitalizations in every county, due to the Delta variant, with the overwhelming majority of cases and hospitalizations being among unvaccinated Washingtonians. BRIER, Wash. The City of Brier is seeing more people apply for it's police department because it doesn't have a vaccine mandate. Isolation and quarantine requests Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine is approved for anyone age 18 and over, however in most instances the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines are preferred. Executive Constantine reissued the order pertaining to Metro service reductions which will remain in effect. Washington state, Seattle and King County announce COVID vaccination Establishing a vaccine mandate for employees and contractors was critical to keeping employees and the public safe, and keeping services flowing. WA's COVID state of emergency will lift on Oct. 31, Inslee says Masks and Face Coverings | Washington State Department of Health The directive includes a definition for being "fully vaccinated" as being 14 days after receiving the second dose of a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the FDA or World Health Organization. Everyone should continue to take steps to reduce COVID-19 risk, including getting vaccinated and boosted when eligible, using high quality, well-fitting face masks, improving indoor air quality through ventilation and filtration, and limiting time in crowded and poorly ventilated indoor spaces. But to me, I think starting the vaccine cards, I think that's a little bit above, over, over the fence there. COVID-19 in Washington Q13 FOX Seattle, King County announce indoor vaccine requirement to fight COVID-19 spread Seattle and King County Thursday announced an indoor vaccine requirement.