Source: U.S. CDC

OKANOGAN –The Washington State Secretary of Health, Dr. Umair Shah, has amended Statewide Order 20-03 regarding facial coverings. Read the full amended Order 20-03 here.

The amendment follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) May 13 Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People, which states that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting EXCEPT where required by federal, state, local, tribal laws, or in businesses that choose to require facial coverings.

As such, Washington Statewide Amended Order 20-03 states that facial coverings are still required for all people, regardless of vaccination status, in the following locations: healthcare settings (all hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities), correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and schools.

Facial coverings and physical distancing are still required in all public areas for individuals who are not fully vaccinated. People are considered fully vaccinated two (2) weeks after they have received both vaccine doses in a two-dose series (Pfizer or Moderna) or two (2) weeks after receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The following groups of people are exempt from the facial covering requirement: children younger than five-years-old, and people with a medical, mental health, developmental, or cognitive condition or disability that prevents them from wearing a facial covering.

Okanogan County Public Health asks residents to protect themselves and their community by following the current guidelines and continuing to wear facial coverings in required areas.

For current information on how to receive the free, COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://okanogancountycovid19.org/covid-19-vaccine/ or https://spanish.okanogancountycovid19.org/la-vacuna-covid-19/.