King County issues new outdoor mask order for large events regardless of vaccination status

Following a resurgence of COVID-19 cases driven by the more-transmissible delta variant and slowing vaccination rates, King County leaders ordered a new mask mandate for large outdoor events.

The new order, which will go into effect on Sept. 7, will require residents to wear a mask at any outdoor event with 500 or more people in attendance. The requirement will apply to both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents ages 5 and older.

Mask are also now "strongly recommended" for all other outdoor settings where people cannot maintain a 6-foot distance from non-household members.

"Outdoors is much safer than indoors, but there is risk even outdoors currently when large numbers of people are in close, prolonged contact," said Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin in a news release Thursday. "Layering multiple prevention strategies, including wearing a well-made and snug-fitting face mask when in crowed outdoor locations, is a necessary precaution at this time to limit COVID-19 spread and preventable cases, hospitalizations, and deaths."

The new order comes as approximately 750,000 people in King County remain unvaccinated, according to health officials. That includes children under 12 who are currently not eligible to receive the vaccine.

Under the state's new indoor mask mandate, which went into effect on Aug. 23, wearing a mask in crowded outdoor situations where social distancing could not be maintained was recommended by the Department of Health, but not required.

The recommendation came after more than 200 attendees of the Watershed Music Festival at the Gorge tested positive for the virus. The festival was the state's largest live music event since the pandemic began in 2020.

Other large events in the region have started issuing their own mask requirements. Earlier this week, the Washington State Fair announced that masks would be required in both indoor and outdoor settings amid the rise in cases in the state.

"We're not saying close down large events right now, we're saying let's do them more safely," Duchin said during a news briefing Thursday. "We are also recommending [this order] strongly for gatherings under 500 as well."

The order goes into effect after the busy Labor Day weekend — which will see the first ever "Day In, Day Out" music festival at Seattle Center with approximately 8,000 people in attendance — but Duchin said "anyone who can should start to follow this guidance immediately."

The latest surge in cases has added more strain to the state's hospital system. The state is currently averaging more than 3,300 cases a day and hospitalizations are up 40% over the last two weeks. Nearly 95% of the people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the state are unvaccinated.

"Every day, large numbers of hospitals are reaching out to the Washington Medical Coordination Center," said Dr. Steve Mitchell, director of Emergency Services at Harborview Medical Center. "In the past few days, nearly 60% of the calls have been COVID-related. Capacity and staffing issues in hospitals are widespread and consistent across the state. The most significant impacts in Western Washington are in south King, Thurston and Pierce counties."