Of the 155,000 educators, school leaders and staff covered, Schools Superintendent Chris Reykdal said he believes about 70% of that group is already vaccinated. Tribal schools are not included, though Inslee strongly encouraged them to follow suit.Īn estimated 363,000 employees are covered under the mandate, though it's unclear how many within that group are already vaccinated. Washington's vaccine mandate also applies to most childcare and early learning providers who care for children from multiple households.
The vaccine mandate does not apply to students, though K-12 students and staff are required to wear masks when the school year starts next month. “By vaccinating staff we reduce the possibility of infecting those who cannot be vaccinated, including our students under 12 years old,” wrote WEA President Larry Delaney. Officials with the Washington Education Association, a union representing public school employees, issued a statement after the announcement saying that educators “look forward to welcoming our students back in person this fall but to make that sustainable we must do everything we can to reduce the possibility of COVID transmission in our schools.” In a statmeent, WSU Athletics didn't directly address the issue of Rolovich but said “we will work to ensure the mandates in the Governor’s Proclamation are followed.” Rolovich is one of two state employees scheduled to make more than $3 million this year along with Washington football coach Jimmy Lake. Inslee’s office said the latest mandate also applies to college coaches, including Washington State football coach Nick Rolovich, who said he has declined to be vaccinated for personal reasons. The Democratic governor on Wednesday also expanded the statewide indoor mask mandate in place for non-vaccinated individuals to include those who are vaccinated, starting Monday. “We cannot continue to gamble with the health of our children, our educators, our school staff, parents or the public,” Inslee said. Earlier this month, Hawaii required all Department of Education staffers to disclose their vaccination status or face weekly testing. Last week, California announced a similar mandate that covers both public and private schools, but allows testing instead of vaccination.
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The education mandate includes all staff, including bus drivers and volunteers.īy not allowing a testing option, Inslee’s mandate appears to be the most sweeping of actions taken by any other state.
Just like a vaccine mandate announced last week that applies to most state workers, private health care and long-term care employees, the only opt-out is a medical or religious exemption.
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Full vaccination means two weeks after a final dose, meaning workers need the final dose of either Pfizer or Moderna, or the one-shot dose of Johnson & Johnson by Oct.
In that vain, Inslee implored any retired health care workers who might be willing to come out of retirement to help in the efforts to fight the outbreak to do so and his office is doing what it can to help expedite the process to get people re-licensed to practice medicine again.įor more information, go online to coronavirus.wa.gov.There is no weekly testing alternative, and those who are not fully vaccinated by Oct.
While additional equipment and hospital capacity is needed - the governor noted that the state will be receiving two field hospitals through FEMA - there is also the need of additional medical personnel. He added he is also searching the globe for equipment, even reaching out to one of his neighbors who has connections in China to see if there is equipment available there that could be shipped to Washington. Inslee said in Washington, the state has purchased additional equipment from private vendors, thanking members of the public who have donated to the cause. He said if the federal government became a buyer, it would have more buying power than any individual state, adding that other state governors shared this view. While he did not go into the specifics of where that funds will be spent in Washington, Inslee said money will be distributed to families and people who are receiving state unemployment benefits would get an extra $600 per week for up to four months.Īlthough he is appreciative of a recent shipment of medical personal protection equipment (PPE) Washington received from the federal government, Inslee said the federal government needs to step up its efforts in responding to the outbreak, noting that all 50 states are in a “mad scramble” to get the equipment and supplies they need to address the outbreak. “I want to thank the Congress for acting on this,” he said. Inslee also touched briefly on the $2.2 trillion stimulus package Congress passed March 25.
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