COVID-19 Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

COVID-19

Washington Seafood Company Fined Following COVID Death

By Austin Jenkins April 26, 2022

A graphic from the state of Washington depicts different forms of face coverings. A Pierce County fish processing plant has been fined for not complying with the state's workplace mask mandate, resulting in the death of an employee from COVID last year.

A Sumner, Washington seafood company that makes imitation crab and other products has been fined $56,000 in connection with a 2021 COVID outbreak that left one employee dead. Continue Reading Washington Seafood Company Fined Following COVID DeathRead More

Tracking COVID Through Wastewater in Idaho

By Rachel Sun March 28, 2022

Studies of COVID in wastewater can help predict outbreaks Listen Rachel Sun reports on how scientists at the University of Idaho are tracking COVID through wastewater / Runtime – 1:46 Read Wastewater testing at the University of Idaho is helping to pave the way for a new method of tracking and predicting spikes in COVID-19… Read More

Coronavirus Subvariant Detected In Washington State

By Eilís O'Neill March 18, 2022

A new subvariant of the Coronavirus has been detected in Washington State Listen Washington State Epidemiologist Dr. Scott Lindquist discusses possible impacts of the new subvariant / Runtime – 22 seconds Read A new sub-variant of the coronavirus that’s spreading in Europe and Asia, is also in Washington State, but is not driving an increase… Read More

Richland Public Schools Are In Emergency Closure Again

By Dori Luzzo Gilmour February 16, 2022

A black chalk board with the writing, school closed on it.

Richland Washington public schools were in an emergency closure Wednesday, and will be closed again Thursday. Continue Reading Richland Public Schools Are In Emergency Closure AgainRead More

Washington Governor Says Announcement On State Indoor Mask Mandate Coming Next Week

By Austin Jenkins February 10, 2022

Isaac Williams, 6, wears a mask as he prepares to receive a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at Seattle Children's Hospital in Seattle. Wash. Gov. Inslee said on Feb. 9, 2022 that he’s lifting outdoor masking requirements.

As states from Oregon to New York announce plans to end mask mandates, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday announced that he’s lifting outdoor masking requirements and plans to announce next week a date when the face-covering rules for public indoor spaces and schools will be lifted. Read More

A Torrent Of Support For Curbing Inslee’s Emergency Powers As Lawmakers Take Public Testimony

By Austin Jenkins January 29, 2022

Washington’s COVID-19 state of emergency is approaching its two-year anniversary. Under current law, the governor has broad emergency powers. But the Legislature is considering new restrictions on that authority. Continue Read More

Covid Test Shortage In Kittitas Valley Healthcare

By Johanna Bejarano January 28, 2022

Free at-home Covid tests can be ordered through www.covidtests.gov, the website recently launched by the Federal Government.

Kittitas Valley Healthcare-KVH will no longer offer free COVID testing to Kittitas County. According to the Public Hospital website, "sudden and extreme supply chain shortages" force the changes starting Jan. 28. Continue Reading Covid Test Shortage In Read More

Inslee Deploying 100 National Guard To Help Hospitals, Orders Pause On Non-Emergency Procedures

By Austin Jenkins January 13, 2022

Washington National Guard soldiers walk through the Food Lifeline Covid Response Center on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, along East Marginal Way South in Seattle.

Following the lead of Oregon and other states, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday that he will deploy 100 members of the National Guard to assist hospitals struggling to respond to a spike in COVID-19 patients due to the highly-contagious omicron variant. Read More

Omicron Scrambles Plans For Start Of Washington’s Legislative Session

By Austin Jenkins January 3, 2022

A limited group of masked state senators participated in person on the opening day of Washington's 2021 legislative session. Other senators joined remotely. The 2022 legislative session may look similar in light of rising COVID-19 cases.

So much for the best laid plans for Washington’s 2022 legislative session. The highly contagious omicron variant of COVID-19 has upended what was supposed to be a mostly in-person start to the 60-day session, at least in the House of Representatives. Read More

Here’s Something Depressing For The Holidays: States Set New Record For Total Annual Deaths In 2021

By Tom Banse December 28, 2021

People gathered at Seattle City Hall on December 21, 2021 to remember homeless people who died in the past year.

The year 2021 isn’t even over, yet Oregon and Washington have already smashed their previous records for total annual deaths. Those records were just set last year. The coronavirus pandemic is only one piece of the explanation. Read More

More Than 630 Days And Counting. When Will Inslee’s State Of Emergency End?

By Austin Jenkins November 22, 2021

For nearly two years, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has operated the state under a COVID-19 state of emergency. Washington's emergency powers statute gives the governor broad authority to manage the state in times of crisis. Unlike in other states, the Legislature has limited opportunities to intervene and no role in renewing or ending the emergency.

For months, minority Republicans in the Washington Legislature have called for limits on the governor’s emergency powers. But now even some Democrats are expressing concerns about the open-endedness of the COVID-19 state of emergency and the limited role of state lawmakers. Read More

‘Welcome Back Loonies’: U.S. Reopens Border To Canadian Leisure Travelers

By Tom Banse November 9, 2021

Quebecois long-distance cyclist Jean-Francois Bienvenue soaked in the warm welcome Monday in Port Angeles, having previously waited in a holding pattern in British Columbia until the border reopened. "It's crazy, everybody is so happy," the Los Angeles-bound cyclist said.

There was cheering, celebration and emotional reunions along the northern border on Monday as the U.S. reopened its land and sea crossings to Canadian leisure travelers for the first time in 19 months. The international ferry between Port Angeles and Victoria began sailing again with all of its initial southbound trips sold out. Some border restrictions remain that could Read More

A Lone Holdout. Why Washington’s Secretary Of State Says She Didn’t Impose Vaccine Mandate

By Austin Jenkins November 3, 2021

Sec. of State Kim Wyman is Washington's only Republican statewide officeholder and the only one who didn't impose a vaccine mandate on her staff.

Washington has nine independently elected statewide officeholders. All but one of those elected officials has required their employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The holdout was the lone Republican. Continue Reading A Read More

Unvaccinated Washington State Employees Face Their Last Day On The Job

By Austin Jenkins October 18, 2021

At a news conference on October 14, Gov. Jay Inslee said the state was following science and the law when deciding whether to accommodate employees who received medical or religious exemptions to his COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Monday is the deadline for Washington state employees, healthcare and long-term care workers and those working in the education field to be fully vaccinated. Those who aren’t could be out of a job by day’s end. Some of the state employees who face termination got exemptions, but not a workplace accommodation so they could stay on the payroll. Read More

Inslee Orders Proof Of Vaccine Or Negative COVID-19 Test At Large Events

By Austin Jenkins October 18, 2021

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday announced a statewide requirement that attendees at large events show proof of being vaccinated against COVID-19 or proof of a negative test taken in the 72 hours before the event. Continue Reading Read More

Get The Candy Bowl Ready. Dr. Fauci Says Halloween Is A Go This Year

By NPR News October 12, 2021

Dr. Anthony Fauci said this weekend that children can go trick-or-treating safely this year.

It's time to get those costumes and bowls of candy ready — Halloween is just around the corner. And unlike last year, trick-or-treating can go ahead this season — that's according to the nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Read More

Moderna And J&J Say Their Data Supports COVID Vaccine Boosters

By NPR News October 12, 2021

A nurse prepares a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a San Antonio senior center in March. A panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will meet Thursday to review Moderna's booster shot.

The Food and Drug Administration released briefing documents Tuesday on booster shots for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines ahead of a two-day public meeting of advisers to the agency that starts Thursday. Continue Reading Read More

Pacific NW Governors Hold Fast On Vax Deadline As More Local Officials Warn Of Worker Exodus

By Tom Banse October 12, 2021

People opposed to vaccine mandates protested at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia on multiple weekends during September.

The days are quickly ticking down to next Monday's deadline when most Oregon and Washington teachers, health care workers and public employees need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Continue Reading Pacific NW Read More

Hit Hard By COVID 5th Wave, Washington Veterans Homes Now Brace For Staffing Shortages

By Austin Jenkins October 11, 2021

Since July 21, 34 residents and 23 staff at the Spokane Veterans Home have tested positive for COVID-19. Three residents died.

It was a challenging summer at Washington’s state-run homes for veterans. Two of the four homes experienced widespread COVID-19 outbreaks. Four veterans died. Now the homes are bracing for another challenge: the potential for a staffing shortage as the governor’s vaccine mandate kicks in. Read More

Tens Of Thousands Of Washington Homecare Workers Not Covered By Governor’s Vaccine Mandate

By Austin Jenkins October 6, 2021

In August, Gov. Jay Inslee announced that state employees and health care and long-term care workers would have to be fully vaccinated by October 18, or face termination.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s vaccine mandate covers more than 800-thousand workers in education, state government and healthcare. But there’s one group of hands-on caregivers it doesn’t apply to. Continue Reading Read More

COVID-19 Deaths Much Higher In Washington’s Republican Counties, Analysis Shows

By Austin Jenkins September 30, 2021

Pharmacist Rui Wen prepares to administer a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for an employee of the Safeway Distribution Center on Monday, March 22, 2021, in Auburn. COVID deaths are trending much higher in Republican counties in Washington where vaccination rates tend to be lower.

COVID-19 related deaths are trending much higher in Republican counties than in Democratic ones in Washington. That’s according to a new legislative analysis. Continue Reading COVID-19 Deaths Much Higher In Washington’s Republican Read More

Trickle-Down Effects From Overcrowded Hospitals: Ambulances Scarce And A House Burns

By Tom Banse September 22, 2021

Ocean Shores firefighter/EMT Kara McDermott spends more time than usual behind to wheel of these ambulances as overwhelmed hospitals routinely divert incoming transports.

The overcrowded hospitals we've been telling you about for weeks are having ripple effects out into the community -- some you could predict and some which are a little more startling. Take for example a fire that gutted a house in Ocean Shores, expensive airlifts from Leavenworth, Washington, and slow response times for ambulance transports in Portland. Read More

State Troopers And Other Public Employees File Lawsuit To Overturn Inslee Vaccine Mandate

By Austin Jenkins September 13, 2021

On Friday, dozens of public sector employees in Washington filed a lawsuit in an attempt to overturn Gov. Jay Inslee's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Dozens of Washington state troopers, prison correctional officers, ferry workers and other public sector employees have filed a lawsuit in Walla Walla County to try to overturn Gov. Jay Inslee's COVID-19 vaccine. The lawsuit alleges the mandate is unlawful and unconstitutional. Read More

TSA Is Doubling Fines For Those Who Refuse To Wear A Mask While Flying

By NPR News September 10, 2021

Travelers wearing protective face masks wait in line at a Transportation Security Administration screening at LaGuardia Airport in New York last month. U.S. aviation regulators are calling on the nation's airports to crack down on the defiantly unmasked.

President Biden and the Transportation Security Administration are cracking down on those who defy mask mandates on airplanes with one simple message: "If you break the rules, be prepared to pay." Continue Reading TSA Is Doubling Fines Read More

Inslee Orders Mask Usage At Larger Outdoor Events

By Northwest News Network September 10, 2021

In this file photo from December 2020, a child wears a mask to protect from COVID-19 while attending a Christmas celebration in Leavenworth. Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday announced he's expanding his statewide mask mandate to include large, outdoor events.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has expanded his statewide mask order to include larger outdoor events with 500 or more attendees. Continue Reading Inslee Orders Mask Usage At Larger Outdoor EventsRead More

Largest State Employee Union Strikes Tentative Deal Over Inslee’s Vaccine Mandate

By Austin Jenkins September 7, 2021

File photo of Gov. Jay Inslee during press conference Aug. 18 announcing vaccine mandate for people who work in K-12.

The Washington Federation of State Employees announced a tentative deal with Gov. Jay Inslee early Saturday morning. Continue Reading Largest State Employee Union Strikes Tentative Deal Over Inslee’s Vaccine MandateRead More

Desperate Times For Pet Owners And Vets As Clinics, Hospitals Are Overwhelmed

By Austin Jenkins September 7, 2021

Dr. Kelly Sandmeier of Chambers Creek Veterinary Hospital in Lakewood, WA holds a three-month old pit bull that is being fostered by one of her staff members. Sandmeier's clinic is no longer accepting new patients and existing patients often have to wait three or four weeks for an appointment. It's a common story as demand for veterinary services increases amid persistent staffing shortages made worse by the pandemic.

It’s a problem nationally and in the Northwest. Pet owners are having trouble getting access to veterinary services. It’s another example of the fallout from the ongoing pandemic. Continue Reading Desperate Times For Pet Owners And Read More

Washington Issues Vaccine Mandate For K-12 School Employees And Statewide Mask Mandate

By Kate Walters August 18, 2021

All school employees in Washington state must get a Covid-19 vaccine, or risk losing their job. Also, masks will once again be required in most indoor settings starting Monday, August 23, according to the latest mandates from Gov. Jay Inslee. Read More

‘It’s Heartbreaking.’ One Hospital Chief Executive’s Warning About The Fifth Wave Of COVID-19

By Austin Jenkins August 13, 2021

Darin Goss, the chief executive of Providence Health and Services SW, says the current fifth wave of COVID-19 is the hardest yet.

How bad is the fifth wave of COVID-19? One hospital in Thurston County, Washington is limiting visitors, the intensive care unit is at capacity and elective surgeries and procedures are being delayed. Continue Reading Read More

Washington Governor Orders State Employees, Health Care Workers To Get COVID-19 Vaccine

By Austin Jenkins August 9, 2021

Following the lead of several other states, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday issued a requirement that state employees along with private health care and long-term care workers get the COVID-19 vaccine or face termination from their jobs. Read More

Vaccinated People Should Mask In Public Indoor Spaces In Most Of Washington State

By Northwest News Network July 30, 2021

Washingtonians who are fully vaccinated should wear masks in public indoor settings, Gov. Jay Inslee said on Wednesday. Fully vaccinated people who live with young children or someone who is vulnerable to sickness should consider masking indoors even in counties with lower transmission. This is guidance and not a legal requirement. Read More

A Woman Died Of COVID After Contracting 2 Variants At The Same Time, Researchers Say

By Scott Leadingham July 12, 2021

SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, shown in red, have heavily infected a cell in this colorized scanning electron micrograph. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19. NIAID/NIH/Flickr

BY BILL CHAPPELL The patient came to the hospital because she was repeatedly falling down. She was breathing fine, and her blood oxygen levels were good. But tests showed that the 90-year-old Belgian woman had COVID-19 — and not just one strain, but two variants of the virus. She died at the hospital in just… Read More

Fauci Warns Dangerous Delta Variant Is The Greatest Threat To U.S. COVID Efforts

By NPR News June 23, 2021

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned on Tuesday of the danger from the Delta variant of the coronavirus. Among those not yet vaccinated, Delta may trigger serious illness in more people than other variants do. Susan Walsh/AP

The dangerous Delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading so quickly in the United States that it's likely the mutant strain will become predominant in the nation within weeks, according to federal health officials and a new analysis. Read More

Unpaid Caregivers Were Already Struggling. It’s Only Gotten Worse During The Pandemic

By NPR News June 20, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly difficult for unpaid caregivers, with many reporting symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. CREDIT: Portra Images via Getty Images

The pandemic has taken a massive toll on people's mental health. But a new report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms what many of us are seeing and feeling in our own lives: The impact has been particularly devastating for parents and unpaid caregivers of adults. Read More

U.S. Hits 600,000 COVID Deaths, More Than Any Other Country

By NPR News June 15, 2021

Memorials hang from the front gate of Greenwood Cemetery during an event and procession organized by Naming the Lost Memorials to remember and celebrate the lives of those killed by the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

More than 15 months since the first confirmed death due to COVID-19 in the U.S., the coronavirus pandemic has claimed more than 600,000 lives across the country. Continue Reading U.S. Hits 600,000 COVID Deaths, More Than Any Other CountryRead More

Novavax Says Its COVID Vaccine Is Extremely Effective, But Has Yet To Be Approved In U.S.

By NPR News June 14, 2021

A vial of the Phase 3 Novavax coronavirus vaccine is seen ready for use in the trial at St. George's University hospital in London Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020. Novavax Inc. said Thursday Jan. 28, 2021 that its COVID-19 vaccine appears 89% effective based on early findings from a British study and that it also seems to work — though not as well — against new mutated strains of the virus circulating in that country and South Africa. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

According to Novavax, the vaccine's manufacturer, it had a 100% efficacy against the original strain of the coronavirus and 93% efficacy against more worrisome variants that have subsequently appeared. Continue Reading Read More

Washington’s ‘Joints For Jabs’ COVID Vaccine Program Off To A Rocky Start With Pot Retailers

By NWPB News June 10, 2021

File photo, Dec. 7, 2015, a worker cleans a display case at the Ganja Goddess Cannabis Store in Seattle. On Monday, June 7, 2021, Washington state officials announced that the state's nearly 500 licensed marijuana retailers could begin hosting COVID-19 vaccine clinics and offering a single, free pre-rolled marijuana cigarette to any adult over 21 who receives a shot on-site, but due to federal law and other complications, it's not clear if any of the state's legal pot shops will participate. A current manager at Ganja Goddess said that they would not be participating because they do not have space to host a clinic. CREDIT: Ted S. Warren/AP

It was designed as an innovative way to promote COVID-19 vaccinations, but Washington’s new “joints for jabs” program is off to a rough start. Officials announced Monday that the state’s nearly 500 licensed marijuana retailers could begin hosting vaccine clinics and offering a single, free pre-rolled marijuana cigarette to any 21-plus adult who received a shot there. Read More

Washington Marijuana Stores Can Now Offer Free Joint For COVID-19 Vaccine

By NWPB News June 8, 2021

In this file photograph, trimmed cannabis flowers are seen at a marijuana production facility in Seattle during 2017. CREDIT: Matt M. McKnight/Crosscut

The state Liquor and Cannabis Board is calling the effort the “Joints for Jabs” program. The board says licensed adult-use marijuana retail shops can give away a single pre-rolled joint to anyone over 21 who gets a shot at an on-site vaccine clinic held by July 12. Read More

It’s Been A Long Haul: Correspondent Anna King On Her Snail-Slow Recovery 1 Year After COVID-19

By Anna King June 2, 2021

Correspondent Anna King has been fighting COVID-19 and it’s after effects for a year now. It’s been a slow journey, like that of this snail she found crossing a walking path near the Columbia River in Richland.

June 3 marks a year since COVID-19 blasted through my immune system. I have never figured out how I got it. And my recovery has come in fits and starts. But mostly it’s just been incredibly, snail-slow. Continue Read More

After Its Superspreader Rehearsal Last Year, A Washington Choir Struggles To Sing Together Again

By NWPB News May 31, 2021

The Skagit Valley Chorale in Washington held a rehearsal in early March of 2020 that became a superspreader event for COVID-19. CREDIT: Dicken Bettinger

For the Skagit Valley Chorale in northwest Washington, the return has highlighted a philosophical split within the group. The choir experienced one of the first and most famous superspreader events in the country, at a rehearsal on March 10, 2020. Read More

President Biden Asks U.S. Intel To Push For Stronger Conclusions On The Coronavirus’ Origins

By NPR News May 26, 2021

A laboratory building at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China, is seen on May 13, 2020. CREDIT: Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images

President Biden said on Wednesday that he has asked the U.S. intelligence community to push to get closer to a "definitive conclusion" on how the pandemic started. Continue Reading President Biden Asks U.S. Intel To Read More

Half Of All U.S. Adults Are Now Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19

By NPR News May 25, 2021

Maryland National Guard Brig. Gen. Janeen Birckhead greets soldiers last week at a mobile vaccine clinic in Wheaton, Md.

The U.S. COVID-19 vaccination program has gone from zero to 50% in less than six months. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Biden administration said, half of the country's adults are now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Continue Reading Read More

Community Immunity Is In Reach For Some Northwest Cities And Counties, Further Away For Others

By Tom Banse May 24, 2021

Eager seniors filled up all of the first come, first serve slots at a drive-thru COVID vaccination clinic before the first shots were even given on Thursday in Sequim, Washington. CREDIT: Tom Banse/N3

Hesitancy to get vaccinated against the coronavirus has justifiably drawn considerable attention because some counties and neighborhoods are lagging far behind in the campaign to stamp out COVID-19. Less often do you hear about the COVID-19 vaccination overachievers. In recent weeks, pockets of the Pacific Northwest have exceeded the threshold for community immunity. Read More

Early CDC Coronavirus Test Came With Inconsistent Instructions, Cost U.S. Weeks

By NPR News May 21, 2021

The CDC's early coronavirus test was poorly designed and it also came with problematic instructions, NPR has learned. CREDIT: Jessica McGowan/Getty Images

A flawed coronavirus test distributed by government scientists early in the pandemic was poorly designed and came with erroneous instructions that made it doubly difficult for labs to rely on the test's results, new records show. The shortcomings of the test kits cost the nation precious weeks as officials sought to detect virus hotspots and manage the outbreak. Read More

Even With No-Mask Guidance, Some Places Like Washington’s King County Aren’t Ready To Let Go

By NPR News May 20, 2021

Darren Ford (left) reacts to the new mask guideline while presenting his vaccine card at Liberty Theatre on May 14 in Camas, Wash. Gov. Jay Inslee announced last Thursday that the statewide mask mandate would no longer apply to fully vaccinated adults. Nathan Howard/Getty Images

As more states shed their universal mask mandates for those who are vaccinated, many Americans are weighing how much faith to put in the new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in the integrity of their unvaccinated peers, who are supposed to follow the rules and keep wearing masks. Read More

Pfizer Vaccine Can Stay Longer At Warmer Temperatures Before Being Discarded

By NPR News May 20, 2021

The Food and Drug Administration says it's now OK to store the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at normal refrigerator temperatures for up to a month. This is much longer than was previously allowed under the FDA's emergency authorization and will make storage and distribution of the vaccine easier. Read More

Hey, Canadians, Come Get A Shot, Proposes Small Washington Enclave Of Point Roberts, USA

By Tom Banse May 18, 2021

Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce President Brian Calder at a beach left deserted by cross-border travel restrictions. CREDIT: Tom Banse/N3

As the story of the COVID-19 vaccine in the Pacific Northwest changes from scarcity to surplus, one northwestern Washington community says it is in a unique position to extend a helping hand across the border. Continue Read More

Confused By CDC’s Latest Mask Guidance? Here’s What We’ve Learned

By NWPB News May 15, 2021

A discarded disposable face mask on a storm sewer grate along with other detritus on Penn Ave in West Reading September 14, 2020. (Photo by Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)

The shift in guidance was a dramatic reversal from the country's top public health agency, which has been criticized for being too conservative (and convoluted) in its earlier guidelines for those who are vaccinated. The latest changes have left a lot of people with a lot of questions, which NPR's science, health and education reporters are here to answer. Read More

State Says All Washington Public Schools Must Open In Full For Fall, With Masks Required

By NWPB News May 13, 2021

File photo. Hand sanitizer, wipes, and surgical masks rest on a desk in a fourth-grade classroom at Elk Ridge Elementary School in Buckley, Wash. State authorities said May 13, 2021, all schools in the state must provide full-time, in-person education for students for the 2021-22 school year and that students and staff will still be required to wear masks as a COVID-19 mitigation effort. CREDIT: Ted S. Warren / AP

Washington authorities said Thursday all schools in the state must provide full-time, in-person education for students for the 2021-22 school year and that students and staff will still be required to wear masks. Continue Read More

Governor Says Washington Is On Track To Fully Reopen By June 30, Mask Requirements Change

By NWPB News May 13, 2021

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, not wearing a face mask following new guidance from the federal CDC, said on Thursday, May 13, that the state is on track for a fully reopening by June 30. CREDIT: TVW/screenshot

Washington is on track to fully reopen its economy by June 30, and a full reopening could happen even sooner if 70% or more of residents ages 16 and older have gotten at least one dose of vaccine by then, Gov. Jay Inslee said Thursday. Read More