Washington Governor Orders Mask Mandate Statewide

OLYMPIA — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has brought back a statewide mask requirement and ordered all public, private, and charter school employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as subject to their employment. The requirement to wear a mask begins Monday, August 23, and is required in most public places across the state, including restaurants, grocery stores, malls, and public-facing offices, regardless of vaccination status.

There will be limited exceptions when face coverings won’t be required, such as office spaces not easily accessible to the public where individuals are vaccinated, and when working alone indoors or in a vehicle with no public face-to-face interaction. Small, private, indoor gatherings where all attendees are vaccinated are also exempt. Read more in the Seattle Times.