King County Public Health Information - Outdoor Mask Order and Resources
Hello Community and Business Partners,
Yesterday, Dr. Jeff Duchin issued an outdoor mask order for events of 500 or more people to slow down the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant. As we have heard, the Delta variant is much more contagious and can cause more severe illness in unvaccinated adults. We are also starting to hear about the numbers of children who are now being hospitalized. Let us continue to protect our community, especially those who are unable to be vaccinated, including kids under 12 and immune-compromised community members.
Below are information regarding the new outdoor mask order and additional public health resources:
Effective September 7, 2021, masks are required for everyone ages 5+ (both vaccinated and unvaccinated) at outdoors events with 500 or more people in attendance.
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- Outdoor mask order Q&A (attached to this email)
Suggested answers to anticipated questions from the community about the mask order.
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- Outdoor mask order slide deck (attached to this email)
Provides information about the mask order and why it is needed. Translations will be posted soon to the Current COVID-19 guidance in King County page.
- Web update + new header: Current COVID-19 guidance in King County
This new header replaces the previous header ‘Safe Reopening’, and this page will be used to share the latest COVID-19 guidance and policy updates going forward. The page has been updated to reflect the outdoor mask order while removing outdated information. The Masking guidance page and several other pages referencing mask requirements have also been updated with these changes.
- Web update: FAQ about COVID-19 testing
Updated guidance for who should get tested, where to get tested, when and how to get results, and travel testing options. New answers to questions about testing if I don’t have symptoms, types of tests and swabbing methods at King County-operated sites, and the differences between Rapid Antigen tests and PCR tests.
- Translated flyers: Vaccine sites for Youth with Disabilities
Translations are available in Spanish, Vietnamese, and several other languages on the COVID-19 Vaccination for Children and Teens page (blue box on the right side of the page, third item), and will be posted soon to in-language pages.
- New web page: Back-to-school toolkit
Includes slide decks, videos, and social media materials that can be downloaded and shared. Materials contain information about returning to school, mask rules, mental health messaging, mask fit, and mask clean-up. The toolkit can also be accessed from the Schools and child care web page.
- Social Media:
The latest Delta-driven surge in cases is taking a heavy toll on hospital capacity and hospitals are more crowded than at any point since the pandemic began.
- Outdoor mask order (links to blog post)
We know that outdoors is much safer than indoors. However, the virus that causes COVID-19 can still sometimes spread outdoors, especially in large groups where physical distancing is difficult.
Get your COVID-19 vaccine FREE this weekend at a Community Vaccination Event happening in King County near you.
- Blogs en español:
Next Monday is Labor Day and I hope that everyone takes the time to relax and enjoy all that life has to offer!
Stay safe and be well,
Slides_Outdoor Mask Order_9.2_English
QA_Outdoor Mask Order_9.2
Diane Agasid Bondoc, REHS/RS
Workplace Prevention Task Force
Community Mitigation and Recovery – COVID-19 Response
Public Health – Seattle & King County
Direct phone: (206) 263-2157 | Eastgate mainline: (206) 477-8050
Email: diane.agasid@kingcounty.gov
