Greetings, Seattle Metro Chamber Members,

As COVID-19 continues to spread and strain hospital capacity throughout our region, King County is instituting proof of vaccination requirements for many businesses and events.

Starting October 25, 2021, the county will require that customers and attendees show proof that they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before entering some businesses. This includes:

  • Restaurants for indoor dining
  • Bars
  • Gyms
  • Arts and entertainment venues
  • Sporting events

According to King County, no later than six months from October 25, 2021, this policy will be reviewed for possible extension based on future outbreak conditions.

Public health officials are clear that COVID-19 is more likely to spread in crowded outdoor settings and indoor venues. This latest policy is meant to best protect employees and the public, help businesses stay open, and incentivize vaccinations as we fight to move beyond this latest spike caused by the highly contagious Delta variant.

Help is Here

The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce offered to assist in outreach to businesses implementing the new requirement and has partnered with King County to best support you.

The Chamber has resources available today at kcvaxverified.com, such as Frequently Asked Questions and greater details on the new policy, including which businesses are impacted, what qualifies as proof of vaccination and plans for enforcement. We are still getting details about the policy and implementation from Public Health – Seattle & King County. Thank you for your patience as we continue to update our information.

Get Resources Here

We will continuously provide you with resources to navigate the new verification process. A toolkit will be made available online and through local business partners in the coming days. Included in the toolkit:

  • Guidelines for employers
  • Signage
  • Employee training guidance
  • Implementation checklist
  • Vaccine verification messaging points
  • Updated FAQs

Throughout this pandemic, many of the Chamber’s member businesses have been on the front lines providing services to our region while keeping the economy from freefalling. As our region adapts yet again to contain the virus, the Chamber is here to be your champion. We look forward to working with you all and urging individuals, businesses, and our community at large to take the steps we need to keep people healthy and businesses open, and to finally move past this pandemic.

We’re here to support you,

Rachel Smith
President and CEO

Source link