May 7, 2021 The Daily Wire by Beth Baumann
Democratic Washington State Governor Jay Inslee on Monday released his immediate plan to partially roll back Covid-19 restrictions on religious gatherings and sporting events. The plan’s primary focus, however, is on utilizing vaccine passports.
According to Inslee’s office, Washington spectator facilities and religious organizations may increase their attendance capacity by screening for COVID-19 vaccination status and adding areas for vaccinated people. This vaccine verification process can be done in several ways:
Under the updated guidance the following are acceptable as proof of full vaccination: Vaccination card (which includes name of person vaccinated, type of vaccine provided and date last dose administered) OR a photo of a vaccination card as a separate document OR a photo of the attendee’s vaccine card stored on a phone or electronic device OR documentation of vaccination from a healthcare provider electronic health record or state Immunization Information System record. Self-reported vaccination records that are not verified by a health care provider cannot be accepted.
Under Inslee’s new “Roadmap to Recovery” guidelines, religious gatherings and spectator events are able to increase their capacity, but only for “vaccinated sections.”
In Phase 2 of the plan, religious gatherings can increase their overall facility capacity to 50% if “vaccinated-only sections” are implemented.
Outdoor spectator events are allowed to expand their seating with “vaccinated sections” until they reach 50% capacity or 22,000 people, whichever is lower. The number of people in an unvaccinated section cannot exceed 9,000 people. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated people are included in the total capacity count.
Indoor spectator events are given the green light to expand their total capacity to 50% capacity or 2,000 people, whichever is lower. That number includes both vaccinated and unvaccinated sections.
If a county is still in Phase 2, the indoor requirements differ. The number of unvaccinated people cannot exceed 200 people. That number jumps to 300 people if a room is greater than 100,000 square feet. In Phase 3, the number of unvaccinated people cannot exceed 400 people. That number, however, climbs to 600 if the facility’s room is greater than 100,000 square feet.
Each county’s reopening is based on the number of new COVID cases and hospitalization rates in the last week:
As of now, the entire state is in Phase 3, with the exception of Cowlitz, Pierce, Ferry, and Whitman Counties. Those four counties are in Phase 2 of reopening. On Monday, Inslee halted phase movements until May 18.
“Today I announced a two-week pause on phase movement in the Healthy Washington reopening plan,” the governor wrote on Twitter. “All counties will remain in their current phase until we re-evaluate.”
“Current data suggests that Washington’s fourth wave of COVID-19 is leveling out,” he said in a follow-up tweet. “Our economy is beginning to show early signs of growth and we know vaccines are the ticket to further reopening — as long as we adhere to public health guidance until enough people are vaccinated.”
Other states, including neighboring Idaho, have banned vaccine passports from being utilized before residents can obtain specific goods or services. Other states to outlaw vaccine passports include Florida, Texas, and Utah.
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This is not about public health, the left has never been about public health. This is about controlling Americans individual freedoms. If somebody gets the vaccine there was very little chance of them catching or passing on coronavirus so as far as I'm concerned they shouldn't care if me or anybody else doesn't want to get it because they're not at risk. this new policy obviously just shows that the left doesn't want reopening they want control. this will probably end up in the courts and in the end I believe the court will side with conservatives.
Wow. Just wow! Now we are going to have vaccinated and unvaccinated sections. Lets make it easy and just make the unvaccinated wear yellow stars. That way we won't have long lines at events of people having to fish out paperwork and IDs and waiting for an attendant to scrutinize it. The star worn on the outside of clothing will be visibly obvious and move things along much faster. Hmmm, wonder if anyone else in history has had this brilliant idea?
Doesn’t this give rise to invasion of privacy, Hippa Law statutes when a state requires you to make public your medical history? Whether you get the vaccine or not, it’s no one’s business outside of who you choose to tell.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
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