SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

Dori: What good is your vaccine verification card in King County? Not much

Dec 8, 2021, 1:05 PM

King County vaccine requirements, vaccine card...

Indoor businesses in King County must check for proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. (MyNorthwest photo)

(MyNorthwest photo)

Any time you go into a local restaurant, concert venue, or sporting event, King County now mandates that you flash your COVID-19 vaccine verification. Maybe it’s on paper; maybe it’s on your phone.

That’s right: Show your card and prove you got the jab.

But how can any of these places confirm that this is really YOUR card?

Answer: They can’t.

Why?

Because even though King County requires you show your vaccine card, they will not require that you show your ID. It’s all on Public Health — Seattle & King County’s “Frequently asked questions about vaccine verification” page.

Take a look at Section 2, Question 8: “Why aren’t you requiring people to show ID at the same time as proof of vaccination?”

“In our stakeholder engagement, we received feedback that ID checks are associated with trauma stemming from racist and discriminatory practices, plus can lead to distrust for many communities. The vast majority of people have followed health requirements in our region during the pandemic,” the public health department’s response states.

It just proves that, in King County, vaccine card mandates are less about protecting public health – and more about protecting the feelings of people.

Listen to the Dori Monson Show weekday afternoons from noon – 3 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.  

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Dori: What good is your vaccine verification card in King County? Not much