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Dear Education Community,
King County is not immune to the increase in cases and hospitalizations caused by the Delta variant. We are seeing COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge across our region and country, with a particular impact on the unvaccinated. That’s why Public Health – Seattle & King County has issuing a Local Health Officer Order to implement a vaccination verification policy across our region.
Beginning October 25, 2021 people across King County will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative PCR test within 72 hours to enter:
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Outdoor events with 500 people or more (such as professional and collegiate sports and entertainment events)
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Indoor recreational events or establishments regardless of size (such as professional and collegiate sports, performing arts and live music venues, movie theaters, museums, gyms, and conventions)
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Restaurants and bars. This does not apply to outdoor dining, take-out customers, and places that aren’t primarily used for indoor dining such as grocery stores. Small restaurants and bars, defined as those with seating capacity for less than 12 people, will phase in on December 6, 2021.
Vaccination verification is an effective tool to decrease COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. An analysis from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation found that the vaccine verification policy at restaurants, bars and gyms/fitness centers alone could have a significant positive impact, preventing between 17,900 and 75,900 infections, 421 and 1,760 hospitalizations and 63 and 257 deaths locally over six months with the order in place.
You can find more information, including a copy of the Local Health Officer Order, a comprehensive FAQ and translated infographics at kingcounty.gov/verify. In addition, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce has launched https://www.kcvaxverified.com/, a new website to help business owners and venue operators implement the verification policy.
If you have additional questions, you can reach out to Public Health directly at coronavirus@kingcounty.gov or call the King County Call Center at 206-477-3977 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.
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