King County to require proof of vaccination or negative COVID test at most indoor businesses

Starting next month, people hoping to enter restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters or other indoor venues in King County will either need to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or show proof of a negative test.  

County health officials and elected leaders announced the order at a news conference on Thursday. It goes into effect Oct. 25, which allows just enough time for those who aren’t currently inoculated to receive both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines by that date.

“We've reached a critical moment in the long fight against the pandemic, one that will determine how quickly and how safely we will emerge,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said at the news conference."COVID continues to adapt and become stronger, and so must we." 

The new rules are not permanent. Health officials will determine whether the order is still needed six months from the date it goes into effect. 

The order applies to most restaurants and bars, as well as indoor recreational and entertainment venues such as gyms, theaters, museums and concerts. It also applies to all outdoor events with 500 people or more. The order doesn’t apply to outdoor dining or customers picking up takeout orders.

The order also doesn't yet apply to restaurants and bars with seating for fewer than 12 people. Requirements for those businesses will take effect December 6.

Those who aren’t vaccinated will need to show results of a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours from the time of entry. Customers can also opt to take a rapid test if a testing center is available on-site. A negative result will allow them to enter the venue.

Children under age 12, who aren’t yet eligible to receive a COVID vaccine, are exempt from the order. Employees at restaurants and other establishments covered under the new policy are also not required to be vaccinated.

Proof of vaccination includes a person's CDC-issued vaccination card, a photo/copy of that card, or a printed certificate or QR code from MyIRMobile.com. QR codes from that website will become available in late September. A vaccination record from a person's health care provider is also acceptable. No personal identification with proof of vaccination will be required.

Constantine said the state is also working on a mobile app that would allow users to upload proof of vaccination to their smartphones, which they could then present when entering a business.    

The order defines full vaccination as two weeks after the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two weeks after one dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 

The move by King County comes at a time when COVID cases are surging in Washington, fueled by the highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus. The state is averaging more than 3,300 new cases per day and health officials say hospitals across the state have reached their highest occupancy rates since the start of the pandemic. 

Jefferson and Clallam were the first counties in Washington to mandate proof of vaccination to enter some indoor businesses, and multiple Seattle sports venues adopted vaccine policies last week. Several jurisdictions throughout North America — including New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles County and British Columbia in Canada — have also implemented some form of a vaccine verification requirement.