WA to allow employers to test for Covid in place of mandatory vaccinations

Governor Jay Inslee on Thursday announced that employers in Washington state with 100 or more employees will soon be able to require weekly Covid testing in lieu of mandatory proof of vaccination.

The rule mirrors federal employment requirements set by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration earlier this month.

Enforcement of OSHA's pandemic employment rule, which is slated to take effect on Jan. 4, will ride the outcome of an ongoing court challenge to the mandate. In the meantime, Inslee said it is the state's intention to adopt rules mirroring those federal requirements.

"That's the decision we made at this time, except what changes are necessary to align with our state law," Inslee said.

However, even with the prospect of testing as an alternative, state officials are still urging people to get vaccinated if they haven't been.

"To get to a position where the infection rate is low enough so we don't have to have any public policy effecting it, we need several things: we need a higher vaccination rate. It would be useful to have the success of a pill-based antiviral to reduce the hospitalization and consequent death rate, [and] a stable medical delivery system."

State Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah said the state's intensive care unit occupancy is currently just under 90%.

"We really want to see sustained low hospital admissions, and that's before we end any of these restrictions," he said.

Shah also encouraged people who are eligible for booster shots to get them as soon as possible. Inslee said that he expected booster shots to become available to everyone currently eligible for vaccination, regardless of age, employment field, or underlying health conditions.

Additionally, officials are advising people to limit Thanksgiving gatherings to small groups in which all members are vaccinated or have tested negative for Covid.