Todays orders will not impact booking restrictions at King County correctional facilities originally adopted at the beginning of the pandemic, and that remain in effect due to staffing shortages at the correctional facilities. Treatments such as Paxlovid antiviral treatment are available for people who get infected and may be at higher risk. There are nearly 300,000 King County residents who are eligible but have not yet started their vaccination series. This is the first coronavirus death reported in the U.S. The steady decline in positive cases is much needed positive news. STG is proud to support this policy to keep the arts safe for our community. Chinook Building It's been a challenging time. I am not covering everything about this mandate, but it is easy to look up if you have questions. Washington State sets vaccine mandate for government and health care workers. Businesses and organizations may continue to implement their own vaccination verification rules for their establishments. Public Health Seattle & King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin said the move will protect customers and workers through providing safer spaces, protecting the health care system, and helping prevent business closures. Although our mandatory vaccine verification requirement is ending, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations remain elevated and layered COVID-19 prevention remains important. The number of new cases of COVID are leading to far too much suffering. 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. Charge an office visit or other fee to the recipient if the only service provided is a COVID-19 vaccination. Only children under 12 are exempted from the mandate. 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. Browse all Safeway locations in the United States for pharmacies and weekly deals on fresh produce, meat, seafood, bakery, deli, beer, wine and liquor. More than 98% of King Countys nearly 15,000 employees provided proof of vaccination at the time the mandate launched and the nearly 4,000 employees hired since, while less than 2% were separated at that time due to the requirement. Vaccine verification requirements loosened statewide and in King County on March 1. To date, more than three million vaccine doses have been administered in King County. That's the plan of 14th District State Rep. Chris Corry of Yakima. For isolation and quarantine requests contact the King County COVID-19 Mobile Isolation and Quarantine Program at 206-848-0710. Following the record-breaking Omicron surge, were have seen a steady reduction in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, and hospital capacity is improving. King County also dropped its vaccine-verification requirement for large outdoor events, like concerts and sporting events, as well as restaurants, bars, theaters and gyms on March 1.. With high vaccination rates and effective, updated boosters available, we are in a different place in the pandemic, and our policies and regulations will change to reflect the best information we have available today, as they have throughout the last three years., The vaccine mandate was an effective and necessary tool for protecting the health and safety of City workers and the public we serve, said Mayor Harrell. Request an accommodation If you have a disability and need accommodation, email publichealthaccommodations@kingcounty.gov. See L&I Requirements and Guidance for Preventing COVID19 and reporting cases. Youre making a choice that by doing that you cant participate in things that are really important to society.". When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Associate Professor of Medicine and Allergy and Infectious Diseases at University of Washington School of Medicine, Dr. Paul Thottingal, National Infectious Disease Lead for Kaiser Permanente, Dr. It comes as the state and the nation pass another major pandemic milestone. . 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. 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. The performing arts industry has been devastated by this pandemic. Jefferson and Clallam counties instituted indoor vaccine mandates for restaurants and bars starting September 4. Some, like Max Heigh, a Filipino business owner in the area, think it's necessary to stay safe amid the pandemic. The governor made the announcement at a press conference on Monday at Kaiser Permanente in Seattle. 401 Fifth Ave, 3rd Floor The entire order is not expected to be permanent. says. FAX: 206-296-0194, Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer, Public Health Seattle & King County, Dr. Faisal Khan, Director, Public Health Seattle & King County, Find certified small business contractors and suppliers, rescinded the countys COVID emergency proclamation today, King County, State of Washington, and City of Seattle announce vaccination requirement for most employees, private health care and long-term care workers | August 2021. Dr. Jeff Duchin with Public Health - Seattle & King County confirms a man in his 50s died of coronavirus. 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. AboutCareersPrivacyTermsContact UsAdvertise With Us, King County, Seattle, vaccination mandate, TFC News, Lalaine Ignao | TFC News Seattle, Washington. Additionally, King County and the City of Seattle announced their remote employees would begin returning to offices in March. The latest setting on King County's dial is a vaccine mandate to enter restaurants, bars, and non-essential businesses. Link/share our site at kingcounty.gov/covid/current, Find certified small business contractors and suppliers, Wikang Tagalog/Filipino Tagalog/Filipino, For community and faith-based organizations, L&I Requirements and Guidance for Preventing COVID19 and reporting cases, L&I Workplace Safety and Health Guidance, Guidance and resources for businesses and employers, Guidance for Non-Health Care Businesses and Organizations, Safe Cleaning and Disinfection Guidance for Public Spaces, Business Health Trust Employer Resources, publichealthaccommodations@kingcounty.gov, submitting a written inquiry or report online. "The way that this works the best is if people make the right choices," Mayor Jenny Durkan said in an interview with Q13 News. Washington will lift the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for health care and education workers, but employers can choose to mandate vaccines if they wish. Employees who refuse to get vaccinated would face losing their jobs, Gov. King County also dropped its vaccine-verification requirement for large outdoor events, like concerts and sporting events, as well as restaurants, bars, theaters and gyms on March 1. Preventing further COVID infections is a powerful way to protect the health care system. Jay Inslee said. Children . Less than 2% of employees were . Vaccination is our best shield against this deadly virus. Some local businesses throughout Seattle have been requiring proof of vaccination from customers for weeks. This applies to executive cabinet agencies, but the governor encouraged all others such as higher education, local governments, the legislative branch, other statewide elected officials and organizations in the private sector to do the same. Updated: 10:20 PM PDT September 13, 2021. "King County's vaccine verification program will prevent infections, hospitalizations and deaths, safeguard our healthcare system, and provide safer spaces for the public and for workers.". Having been on the front lines since the beginning, and now responding to this latest surge, we know this is not sustainable for our communities or our caregivers. Businesses are free to impose their own vaccine requirements, but there is no countywide requirement. Today our experts advise that immunity has reached a level that allows these requirements to be relaxed, said Executive Constantine. To enter a restaurant you must now show proof of vaccination. Rachel Smith, president and CEO of the Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce, Find certified small business contractors and suppliers, use high quality, well-fitting face masks, improve indoor air quality through ventilation and/or use of HEPA filtration, avoid crowded and poorly ventilated indoor spaces. Editors note: This post is no longer being updated. He was joined by Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, King County Executive Dow Constantine, Kaiser Permanente Washington President Susan Mullaney, Washington State Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah, and Seattle-King County Public Health Officer Dr. Jeffrey Duchin . Time is running out on free COVID tests and vaccines; what then? Too many people, adults and children, are ending up in hospitals across the state and here in our county, threatening to overwhelm the system. 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. The vaccine mandate was an effective and necessary tool for protecting the health and safety of City workers and the public we serve. The vaccine verification policy in King County will no longer be in effect as of March 1. Throughout the pandemic, King County and the City of Seattle have used the most up-to-date recommendations and expertise from Public Health officials to inform policy decisions to adapt to the conditions and threats from the virus. The vaccine mandate first went into effect mid-2021. 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. Filipino-American business owners in the county expressed mixed reactions to the said directive. For people who are unvaccinated or cannot prove vaccine status, they will be required to show proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test in the last 72 hours, or a negative rapid test result from a testing provider conducted on site at an event or establishment just prior to entry. CDC recommends one updated (bivalent) booster dose: There is no booster recommendation for children aged 6 months to 4 years who got the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine primary series. The case was filed .