King County, Seattle Drop Vaccine Mandate For Public Workers

SEATTLE — Citing new guidance from public health officials, leaders in Seattle and King County announced an end to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for public employees, contractors and volunteers on Monday. Proof of vaccination has been a condition of employment for the county and city since mid-2021, but will not apply moving forward.

In a joint news release, officials said Public Health - Seattle & King County waited to adjust its vaccination guidance until after it could evaluate the impacts of a potential surge in winter infections. Thanks to relatively high booster rates in King County, and low levels of community spread and hospitalizations, officials said the risk forecast had reduced enough to allow for the change.

King County Executive Dow Constantine also moved Monday to rescind the county's COVID-19 emergency declaration.

“Since the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, King County’s policy has been to follow the science, listen to the experts, and protect life and health," Constantine said. "Establishing a vaccine mandate for employees and contractors was critical to keeping employees and the public safe, and keeping services flowing. Today our experts advise that immunity has reached a level that allows these requirements to be relaxed.”

At the time the mandate took effect, officials said more than 98 percent of King County's 15,000 workers provided proof of vaccination, followed by nearly 4,000 hired in the months since. Seattle reported 99 percent of city employees complied with the mandate.

As of Monday, nearly 90 percent of King County residents ages 18 to 64 had completed their vaccination series, but just 36 percent of those eligible have received their bivalent booster doses.