MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Gov. Inslee says two blessings of 2021 holiday season are boosters, masks

Dec 24, 2021, 6:21 AM

Inslee, holiday video...

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and First Lady Trudi Inslee. (Screengrab from video courtesy of Office of the Governor)

(Screengrab from video courtesy of Office of the Governor)

After a 2020 holiday video from Gov. Jay Inslee and First Lady Trudi Inslee that pleaded with Washingtonians to refrain from gathering for the holidays as COVID-19 cases continued to climb, 2021’s video message takes a different tone.

“We have the additional stress of the omicron variant,” Trudi Inslee acknowledges, but quickly adds that “we have ways to deal with that.”

“We hope that you will take some special precautions,” she said.

“The good news is we know we can do things to protect ourselves,” Gov. Inslee said. “Thousands of Washingtonians have already got their booster shot. We know that a booster is the optimum protection we can provide for ourselves.”

The governor also said the state is working to increase capacity and further expand access to COVID booster shots by opening up a mass vaccination site and building up existing clinics.

State recognizes difficulty finding booster shots, assures there is ‘plenty of supply’

“We know masks are available too, and that’s very important. Masks are important even if we do have our booster,” he said. “So we have many blessings this season, but two of them are getting the booster and wearing a mask. It’s a good season.”

Watch the full holiday video, recorded at the governor’s home, below:

Find a COVID-19 vaccine or booster appointment near you using the state’s Vaccine Locator tool.

Please follow our Community Guidelines

MyNorthwest News

Seattle fudge shooting shelter...

Nia Bliss, KIRO 7 News

‘Compassionately supporting each other’: Seattle Fudge shelters up to 60 people during mass shooting

Seattle Fudge, a small, family-run business, is back open after protecting dozens during a mass shooting at Seattle Center.

2 hours ago

Testosterone school district pride...

KIRO 7 News Staff

Dept. of Education investigating WA school district, claiming Pride display had vial of testosterone

The U.S. Department of Education is investigating a Washington school over claims that a Pride display had vials of testosterone.

2 hours ago

seafair week forecast...

Ted Buehner

Seafair week forecast shows comfortable temps as July 29 marks anniversary of Seattle’s old heat record

Seasonable warm weather with high temperatures mainly in the 70s to lower 80s will greet the hydros in Seafair week.

3 hours ago

seafair blue angels...

Frank Lenzi

Seafair CEO, a Las Vegas shooting survivor, details security for weekend festival after deadly Bite of Seattle

The deadly shooting at the Bite of Seattle that claimed three lives came less than one week before the Seafair Weekend Festival.

13 hours ago

federal way fatal crash...

Jason Sutich

Semitruck driver killed in crash near Federal Way rest area was not wearing a seatbelt

The driver killed in a fatal car and semitruck crash near the Federal Way rest area on Tuesday was not wearing a seatbelt.

13 hours ago

boeing (1)...

KIRO Newsradio Staff with Wire Reports

FAA orders inspection of Boeing 737 MAX seats that could come loose during turbulence or emergency landing

The FAA is telling airlines to inspect hundreds of Boeing 737 MAX jets after reports that some seats may have been installed incorrectly.

15 hours ago

Gov. Inslee says two blessings of 2021 holiday season are boosters, masks