Health Organizations Support King County's Incoming Vaccine Rules

KING COUNTY, WA — Health care leaders from 15 local organizations recently signed a joint letter of support for King County's vaccination policy covering indoor and outdoor events, which is poised to take effect on Oct. 25.

The incoming rules, announced in mid-September, will require patrons to show proof of full vaccination or a recent negative test to participate in:

• Outdoor events with 500 people or more – such as professional and collegiate sports and entertainment events.
• Indoor entertainment and recreational events or establishments – such as professional and collegiate sports, entertainment, performing arts, museums, theatre, live music, gyms, and conferences/conventions.
• Restaurants and bars (including indoor dining) – this does not apply to outdoor dining, take-out customers, and places that aren't primarily used as a restaurant, such as grocery stores.

"Vaccination verification requirements will reduce the spread of COVID-19 in high-risk public settings, reduce the stress on our health care system, and return patient loads to more manageable levels," said Dr. Jeff Duchin, the county's health officer. "It will also help make businesses and other public venues safer for customers, workers, and our community."

Local hospitals and unions were among more than a dozen signatories attached to a letter published late last week, welcoming the county's decision, including:

• Evergreen Healthcare
• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
• Kaiser Permanente
• King County Medical Society
• Overlake Medical Center
• Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
• Seattle Children’s Hospital
• SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
• Swedish Health Services
• UFCW 21
• UW Medicine
• Virginia Mason Medical Center
• The Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
• Washington State Medical Association
• Washington State Nurses Association.

"[W]e stand in support of requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccine or negative test to large sporting and entertainment events and establishments such as restaurants, bars and gyms," the letter reads in part. "This guidance is part of a multi-layered approach to preventing COVID-19 infection and is vitally important to protecting health care capacity for our community members, in addition to other protective measures such as social distancing, masking and ventilation."

In the announcement earlier this month, officials said the Oct. 25 deadline gave unvaccinated people enough time to begin and complete their immunization series before the new rules take effect. Officials said the public health order was not designed to be permanent, and the need for it will be reevaluated within six months.