Inslee announces COVID vaccine mandate for all Washington K-12 school employees, childcare workers

Workers in Washington’s K-12 schools, public and private universities, and in most childcare centers must get vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 18, Gov. Jay Inslee announced at a press conference Wednesday. If they don’t, they could be fired.

The mandate comes as COVID cases are spiking across the state. Health experts say that the highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus is responsible for the surge. They also warn that the variant poses a greater risk to children, most of whom are slated to start school in the coming weeks.

"The more people that get vaccinated, the closer we will be to being able to stop transmission of this virus," Inslee said. "I am convinced that we are at the point in this pandemic that, without these vaccine requirements, we will continue to be susceptible to new variants. So, this is the right thing to do to save lives in the state of Washington." 

Data from the state Health Department shows that Washington is averaging nearly 3,000 new cases a day, and hospitalizations have risen 64% in the last two weeks. The department doesn’t track increases in infections among children over time, but nationally, the CDC reports that an average of 272 people under 18 are contracting COVID every week — an increase of 22% since June.

Inslee said 95% of state residents being hospitalized with infections reported not being vaccinated when they were admitted. 

"The unvaccinated people are those most at risk in Washington, and those are people we love and care for," Inslee said. "It is heartrending for us to lose our neighbors, our coworkers and our students to a preventable disease."  

Currently, 54% of Washington residents are fully vaccinated. 

Wednesday’s mandate follows another mandate the governor announced last week, which made vaccination a condition of employment for hundreds of thousands of state employees, contractors and workers in private-sector health care facilities.

In a letter sent last week, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal urged Inslee to implement a similar mandate for school employees.

“With the continued increase in cases of COVID-19 across our state due to the highly contagious Delta variant, students losing precious time learning in-person with their educators and peers because of quarantine or, potentially, school building closures is a real threat," Reykdal wrote. "Especially after a year and a half of remote and hybrid learning, a continuity of in-person instruction will be more important this year than ever."

The order, issued under the governor’s emergency powers, applies to all employees — including teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, custodians and coaches — in the state’s public, private and charter schools. It also applies to all workers in the state’s public and private universities and colleges. It does not apply to employees in tribal schools.

Inslee reminded the public that the order is legally binding.  

"This is not some suggestion or whimsical idea we're floating," he said. "It is a job requirement, and people will be held to account if they do not come into compliance." 

The governor’s office said school employee unions may bargain with districts to negotiate time off to receive the vaccine or recover from symptoms. The state’s teacher’s union, the Washington Education Association (WEA), said it will support a mandate if health experts say it’s the right move.

"All along we have said that we will follow the guidance of public health experts," spokesperson Julie Popper said in an email. "If it is the opinion of public health experts that a vaccine mandate is the next best step to take to control this pandemic, WEA will support that position."

The National Education Association also endorsed COVID-19 vaccine requirements for school workers last week.

"We believe that such vaccine requirements and accommodations are an appropriate, responsible, and necessary step to ensure the safety of our school communities and to protect our students," Association President Becky Pringle said in a statement.

Inslee dismissed speculation that the mandate would create a shortage of teachers and other staff, arguing that those who work in schools do so because they're committed to serving the public. 

"These are dedicated people, and there's simply no reason to abandon a career when you've got a safe, effective vaccine available to you," he said. "We're confident that the vast majority of people will make that decision." 

Most of the state’s childcare personnel are also subject to the mandate, including employees, contractors and volunteers working in licensed and license-exempt childcare centers and in early learning and youth-development programs. Providers delivering family, friends and neighbors care are not subject to the order.

Like the mandate for state employees and health care workers, exemptions for religious and medical reasons will be permitted under the new order.

"It is a false narrative to say that it's a choice between getting a vaccine and losing your job, " Reykdal said at a Friday news conference in which he discussed his letter to the governor. "There are exemptions, and that's important." 

However, state officials say applications for exemptions will be rigorously vetted and exemptions for personal and philosophical reasons are not allowed. If a worker doesn’t get an exemption and can’t prove to their employer that they’ve been vaccinated by Oct. 18, the governor’s office said, “they will be subject to dismissal.”

State officials say they’re choosing to fire uncooperative employees instead of asking them to take regular tests because that process is costly, does not work well in "congregate care settings such as (correctional) facilities and long-term care,” and “has not reduced the spread of COVID."