Inslee requires vaccination for most state, health, care workers

Gov. Jay Inslee on Aug. 9 issued an emergency proclamation mandating that most state executive branch employees and on-site contractors and volunteers, along with public and private health care and long-term care workers, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18.

Inslee announced the proclamation at a press conference in Seattle. Individuals included in the proclamation's mandate must receive the final dose of their vaccination no later than October 4 so as to be fully vaccinated two weeks later on October 18 to comply with the proclamation.

Exemptions from the vaccine requirement are allowed for those individuals who are entitled to a disability-related reasonable accommodation or a sincerely held religious belief accommodation.

"Getting vaccinated against COVID is a public good. We have come so close to defeating this deadly disease,” Inslee said at the press conference. “We have the tool — the vaccine — to get this era behind us. It is safe, it is effective, and you will never regret getting it.”