IHME's projections show that COVID-19 transmissions will extend beyond 2021. said Dr. Christopher Murray, director of IHME. Starting February 6, the King County Executive terminated Executive Order ACO-8-28-EO pertaining to the vaccination mandate for contractors. The Seattle Metro Chamber strongly and actively supports vaccination because we know it is the path out of this pandemic and toward an equitable economic recovery. Individuals under 12 years of age, who are not eligible to be vaccinated, are not required to be tested for entry. 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. "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. Please note that while many industry sectors such as restaurants, bars, gyms, retails stores and other businesses have returned to normal capacity and operations, individual businesses may choose to maintain restrictions as they deem appropriate for the health and safety of their workers and customers. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Public Health Seattle & King County COVID-19 resources Current guidance Vaccination verification Vaccination verification Beginning March 1, 2022, the vaccine verification requirement will no longer be in effect in King County. ", "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. Require additional services in order for a person to receive a COVID-19 vaccine; however, additional healthcare services can be provided at the same time and billed as appropriate. Hospitals are really stretched right now across Washington State. Neve is the Chef at Cafe Lago. Today our experts advise that immunity has reached a level that allows these requirements to be relaxed. 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. SEATTLE - Seattle and King County Thursday announced an indoor vaccine requirement for restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters, and other entertainment venues. 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. The governor made the announcement at a press conference on Monday at Kaiser Permanente in Seattle. We made that call on our own and we think it's absolutely the right thing to do, and we're prepared to stand behind that. Dow Constantine. Several forms of vaccination proof will be permitted under the order, including: The order defines full vaccination as two weeks after the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two weeks after one dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or two weeks after completing another approved vaccine. Vaccine verification is one more tool to help keep our community safe, slow the spread of the coronavirus and ensure that our nurses and health care workers can be there for you when you need us. Thanks to a tight-knit partnership with King County, we are getting information and tools ready to make compliance simple, and we have built a support network of experts to help businesses of all sizes throughout our region. State officials accelerated the timeline for lifting the mask requirement initially set to wind down on March 21 after federal officials loosened public health guidelines on face coverings. 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. This button displays the currently selected search type. Link/share our site at kingcounty.gov/covid/vaccine, Find certified small business contractors and suppliers, Wikang Tagalog/Filipino Tagalog/Filipino, For community and faith-based organizations, Snapshot of the COVID-19 Vaccines (WA Dept. Request an accommodation If you have a disability and need accommodation, email publichealthaccommodations@kingcounty.gov. SEATTLE King County will no longer require businesses to check patrons' COVID-19 vaccination status beginning March 1 as case rates and hospitalizations continue to drop. says. Seek appropriate reimbursement from the recipients plan or program (example: private health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid) for a vaccine administration fee. Employees who refuse to get vaccinated would face losing their jobs, Gov. A photo or photocopy of this card is also acceptable. According to the media release, more than 98% of King County's nearly 15,000 employees provided proof of vaccination and nearly 4,000 employees were hired since. Treatments such as Paxlovid antiviral treatment are available for people who get infected and may be at higher risk. 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. 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. 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. Chan's Place in Woodinville. RELATED: The Divide Podcast: Seattle's mayor defends indoor vaccine requirement. KING COUNTY, Wash. - Starting Monday, a new health order goes into effect across King County. Additionally, King County and the City of Seattle announced their remote employees would begin returning to offices in March. For Pamela Carpio, the owner of Knee High Stocking and Jeepney, she thinks that it is the right thing to do. 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 . 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. The intent was to reduce COVID-19 transmission in high-risk indoor settings and thereby reduce the burden on our hospitals, while providing time for more people to get fully vaccinated. It's the right thing to do for our workers, our customers, our economy, and the health and vitality of our city. With new COVID-19 cases and hospitalization decreasing, and over 87% of King County residents over age 12 fully vaccinated, King County Executive Dow Constantine announced Public Health Seattle & King County is lifting the local health order requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for entry into indoor recreational settings, or outdoor events. We support the engagement of the public and private sector to play more of a role in helping close the vaccination gap in our communities. If businesses, schools, and government come together, we can help protect our community and help stop this pandemic sooner rather than later.". 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. No appointment needed: most pharmacies, clinics, and Public Health centers now offer drop-in COVID-19 vaccination. The policy required either verification of full vaccination or a recent negative test to enter indoor entertainment and recreational events or establishments, indoor restaurants and bars, and outdoor events with 500 people or more. In addition, since this policy was adopted, over one-quarter of a million King County residents have gotten vaccinated, meaning nearly 80% of King County residents are now fully vaccinated and 92% of those eligible have started the vaccination series., Although our mandatory vaccine verification requirement is ending, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations remain elevated and layered COVID-19 prevention remains important. 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. Last week, several local sports teams and venues, including the Seattle Kraken, Seattle Mariners, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Storm, Seattle Thunderbirds, University of Washington Huskies, and all events at Climate Pledge Arena adopted vaccination verification policies. Treatments such as Paxlovid antiviral treatment are available for people who get infected and may be at higher risk. Say your preferred language when connected. Seattle Times staff reporters Elise Takahama and Joseph OSullivan contributed to this report. Executive Dow. 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. The latest setting on King County's dial is a vaccine mandate to enter restaurants, bars, and non-essential businesses. 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. 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. 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. The order applies inside restaurants and bars. 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. Anyone needing COVID-19 vaccine can visit KingCounty.gov/vaccine to find a vaccine in their neighborhood. The vaccine verification policy in King County will no longer be in effect as of March 1. As Washington and King County drop masking and vaccination requirements this month, what arts groups are doing is varied, with many performing arts groups extending such requirements through May. 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. We need help from the community, and we need more people to get vaccinated. Amanda Zhou covers afternoon breaking news and enterprise for The Seattle Times. It will be reviewed no later than six months after the October 25th implementation date to assess its continued need based on future outbreak conditions. While the significant benefits of vaccination have not changed, the acute threat to our community and healthcare system has decreased. The vaccine mandate first went into effect mid-2021. In addition, since this policy was adopted, over one-quarter of a million King County residents have gotten vaccinated, meaning nearly 80% of King County residents are now fully vaccinated and 92% of those eligible have started the vaccination series. King County Executive Dow Constantine, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and others in the community support the order, according to the news release. CDC recommends the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines over J&J for both initial and booster vaccinations. It will apply to: The order gives the option for a longer preparation period for smaller restaurants and bars with a seating capacity of 12 or less, with an implementation date of December 6.