SEATTLE — Local health officers in Washington issued a joint statement recommending all to wear facial coverings in indoor public settings where the vaccination status of other people is unknown.
The health officers from all local health jurisdictions in Washington on Thursday urged people to wear the masks, regardless of vaccination status.
“This step will help reduce the risk of COVID-19 to the public, including customers and workers, help stem the increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in many parts of the state and decrease the spread of the highly contagious delta variant,” the statement said.
Thurston County health officials in Olympia went a step further Thursday, joining Snohomish County in requiring all ages 5 and up to wear masks in indoor public settings.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Washington since the pandemic began surpassed 500,000 this week, according to the state Department of Health. State health officials reported 3,095 new cases Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 500,434, The Seattle Times reported.
