Seattle ends COVID-19 emergency mandates aligning with state orders
Oct 12, 2022, 9:21 AM | Updated: 9:43 am
(Photo courtesy of Downtown Seattle Association)
(Photo courtesy of Downtown Seattle Association)
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced Tuesday that the city would be ending all emergency proclamations issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, just in time for Halloween.
Harrell said in a statement the city will lift its remaining emergency orders to align with Gov. Jay Inslee’s decision to end the statewide state of emergency on Oct. 31.
WA’s COVID-19 state of emergency to end by Oct. 31, according to Gov. Inslee
Washington was the first state in the U.S. with a reported case of COVID-19, causing Inslee to enact emergency measures. Over the course of the pandemic, Washington has the fifth-lowest death rate in the U.S., trailing Vermont, Hawaii, Utah, and Alaska.
Some policies will end immediately, like hazard pay for food delivery and network gig workers, while other programs will be phased out more gradually, like payment plans for people overdue on rent, which expire in six months.
“Our city has been working under an emergency proclamation for nearly 1,000 days as we responded to a new pandemic and unprecedented resulting challenges,” Mayor Bruce Harrell said. “We will continue to follow the recommendations of public health experts and science leaders to support the safety and well-being of our communities.”
The city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees, volunteers, and contractors will remain in effect.
