On Monday, September 13, 2021, the State Secretary of Health has issued Order 20-03.5 which adds the requirement for people to wear face coverings when at outdoor events or gatherings attended by 500 or more people regardless of vaccination status. The Department of Health also strongly recommends that everyone wear a face covering in any outdoor crowded place when physical distancing cannot be maintained with persons outside your household. For more details, you can review the DOH order here.
Governor Inslee issued corresponding Proclamation 20-25.17 which requires essentially the same masking procedures as his previous mask proclamation, but specifically incorporates by reference DOH’s new order and requirements for large outdoor events. Under the governor’s proclamation it will be required for all persons at events with more than 500 attendees to wear masks, effective September 13, 2021. The new proclamation requires the host of the large outdoor event to post signage in a prominent location visible to attendees at each entry informing attendees of the face covering requirement. You can review the full details of the Governor’s proclamation here.
As with previous proclamations, businesses and events have the discretion to impose more restrictive masking policies if they so choose.
If you have questions about masking requirements for your government agency or business, please contact Allison M. Beard at abeard@chmelik.com or 360-306-3013.