Washington Protests Continue as Vaccine Deadline Looms

(Olympia, WA) -- Monday is the deadline for Washington state employees to receive their final COVID-19 vaccination shot in order to comply with Governor Inslee's vaccine mandate. He issued the mandate in August requiring state employees, school employees, health care workers and long-term care facility workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18th. That means today is the last day for state workers to either get their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or their first dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in order to be considered fully vaccinated before the deadline, since it takes about 2 weeks for the vaccine to become fully effective.

Several state agencies have already begun sending separation notices to employees who have failed to either provide proof of vaccination or apply for a medical or religious exemption from the shot. The Department of Licensing sent out 66 separation letters on Friday, while the Department of Labor & Industries sent out about 140 letters yesterday and plans to send out more letters today.

Meanwhile, thousands gathered outside the state capitol on Sunday in protest of the mandates.