OLYMPIA, Wash. — Faced with a recent uptick in confirmed COVID-19 cases in certain parts of the state, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Tuesday that the state is imposing a mandatory requirement that people wear masks when they are outside their homes as officials struggle to contain the virus.
The governor said the new mandate, which he reiterated is a “legal requirement,” will go into effect on Friday, June 26 and will apply statewide to individuals and businesses.
“I think this is something we can get used to,” Inslee said. “Because we care about others around us.”
The announcement by the governor came just a few days after King County, which has been the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis in the state, officially moved to phase 2 as part of the governor’s plan to restart the state’s economy.
But Yakima County has increasingly been the focus of efforts to contain coronavirus.
Inslee said Yakima County is now out of hospital beds to treat coronavirus patients because of the surge in the number of patients who have been diagnosed with it. And the Yakima Health District said Tuesday that the county’s healthcare system was exceeding capacity due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, and that hospitals were running out of beds.
Inslee said not wearing a facial covering would amount to a misdemeanor crime.
The governor said there are exemptions to the facial covering rule, including:
- People who can’t wear masks because of existing medical conditions.
- Children 5 years old and younger.
- People who are deaf or need to have their mouth uncovered in order to communicate.
- When it is onerous to do so, including customers who are eating out at a restaurant.
During his news conference, Inslee said the number of infections appears to be rising as the state has allowed more counties to reopen, and he said masks and social distancing have been the only initiatives that have been shown to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Inslee said it is likely that the face mask rule would remain in place until a vaccine is found or some other development significantly changes the equation.
Inslee was joined during his news conference by Secretary of Health John Wiesman and Craig Jelinek, the CEO of Costco, which has implemented a similar rule for its employees and customers.
“I think it’s the only way to go,” Jelinek said, adding that his retailer has seen positive results since imposing a face mask requirement. “I support this decision 100 percent.”
https://komonews.com/news/coronavirus/covid-19-inslee-announces-mandatory-face-mask-rule
F*** Jay Inslee and these bullshit “orders”! I’m telling you now people, if you can’t even refuse such draconian insanity, I highly doubt you’ll be taking up arms to enforce the Bill of Rights as the Supreme Law of this country anytime soon. How many people are going to have to die or have permanent organ damage due to hypoxia before this shit ends?!?
Very pissed!! I Live in this commie State. Open carry is legal not that i give a sh*t!! Seems a good time to show some force!!! Open carry and don’t wear a f*cking mask!!! Bill Of Rights
The governor said there are exemptions to the facial covering rule, including:
People who are deaf or need to have their mouth uncovered in order to communicate.
did you all catch that? LMAO
Wow
Speechless.. no pun intended
I’m hard of hearing , or I guess I should just admit I’m partially deaf , trying to hear people wearing these masks is a real drag
Now on her statement
It’s the same stupidity of me the unvaxxed , giving a vaxxed person what they were allegedly vaxxed against
They don’t know their morons
Oregon says that people of color are exempt? Well, dress me up and call me Sally, I just now identified my self as colored.
Won’t work in Communist Washington State, but might be fun trying!
Open carry! I will not register my firearms!! If you wear a face mask you’ve given in!!! Played. Can someone please create a link to Won’t Get Fooled Again The Who seems a very fitting song in our times!
Thank you Katie for posting this video!! I will fight… driving around nothing to do usta have a job!