Gov. expands vaccine mandate,
institutes new mask requirements
Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced today that he will require all school employees in the state, including those working at colleges and universities, to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 18. In addition, he reintroduced a state-wide mask mandate, regardless of an individual’s vaccination status, in response to the surging Delta variant of the SARS‑CoV‑2 virus.
Under the governor’s newly expanded vaccine requirement, full vaccination by Oct. 18 will be considered a condition of employment. The mandate will allow for medical and religious exemptions but does not include personal or philosophical exemptions.
Governor Inslee is also requiring that masks be worn by all people over the age of five while indoors in public spaces. The state-wide mask mandate goes into effect on Monday, Aug. 23.
The Washington State Department of Health maintains a vaccine locator website
to help unvaccinated individuals find convenient locations to receive
the free immunization.
WSU will update its COVID-19 policies to reflect these new state mandates. For the latest information on WSU’s COVID-19 requirements, visit the
WSU COVID‑19 Recovery Guidance website.