King County has met the 70% vaccination threshold, which means the masks are coming off.
King County Executive Dow Constantine announced on June 15 that 70% of King County residents ages 16 and older — or about 1.3 million residents — have completed their COVID-19 vaccine series, making King County the largest county in the nation to reach 70% among adult residents.
To reach the 70% mark, the county opened several mass vaccination clinics in areas hardest hit by the virus. The county also partnered with dozens of nonprofits to connect with hard-to-reach communities, and is working with schools and mobile teams to get the vaccine to all King County residents, Constantine said.
“People across King County have shown what’s possible when we work together to keep one another healthy,” Constantine said in a news release.
This vaccination milestone also brings the indoor mask-wearing directive to an end Tuesday, June 29, according to the county.
Ending the indoor mask directive by Public Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin in about two weeks allows time for full immunity to develop for the latest people who have been vaccinated.
People who are unvaccinated remain at higher risk for getting COVID-19 and spreading the infection to others, the county warned: “Therefore unvaccinated individuals need to continue to follow Washington state guidance and continue wearing masks indoors when around other people who are unvaccinated.”
Vaccines were first administered in King County on Dec. 16, 2020. King County initially set a goal to vaccinate 70% of its eligible population by the end of June.
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