King County's Vaccine Verification Rules Start Monday

KING COUNTY, WA — Starting Monday, patrons will need to bring proof they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or recently tested negative for the virus, before they can participate in a variety of activities, from dining indoors to attending concerts and sporting events.

King County announced the new public health order back in September, aiming to give businesses and customers several weeks to prepare for the Oct. 25 change. Last week, local leaders demonstrated how the process would work and unveiled a new online "toolkit" to help business owners get up to speed.

Seattle's professional sports teams and many of its music venues already require proof of vaccination voluntarily, but the new rules will not be optional. King County is one of the nation's most vaccinated regions, with nearly 88 percent of eligible residents having at least one dose and more than 82 percent fully vaccinated.

In general, the rules apply to:

• Outdoor events with 500 people or more – such as professional and collegiate sports and entertainment events.
• Indoor entertainment and recreational events or establishments – such as professional and collegiate sports, entertainment, performing arts, museums, theatre, live music, gyms, and conferences/conventions.
• Restaurants and bars (including indoor dining) – this does not apply to outdoor dining, take-out customers, and places that aren't primarily used as a restaurant, such as grocery stores.

Those who have yet to reach full immunization status, or are unable to provide proof of vaccination, will need to provide negative PCR test results taken within the previous 72 hours or take a rapid test on-site, if available. The requirements do not apply to children under 12.

Businesses can accept multiple forms of vaccine proof, including:

• Original COVID-19 vaccination record cards.
• Photo of a vaccination card.
• Printed records from vaccine providers or MyIRMobile.
• Digital record from MyIRMobile or other vaccine verification apps.

Businesses covered by the order are also required to display signage, which can be downloaded online.

King County officials said the rules are designed to be temporary, and the need for them will be reevaluated within six months. Separate rules from the governor's office are poised to roll out statewide in mid-November. That requirement will apply to counties without their own orders in place, mandating vaccine verification for larger indoor and outdoor events.