A summary of the latest communications and updates posted to the WSU COVID-19 website.

A summary of the latest communications and updates posted to the WSU COVID‑19 website.

Washington State University

COVID‑19 Updates

Wednesday, August 18:

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.

For questions related to

For general inquiries, please email covid‑19.info@wsu.edu.

This email communication is not intended to be all‑encompassing and should not be considered to be providing medical or legal advice. In all instances, you should consult with a relevant expert for guidance specific to your circumstances.

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