Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee ordered all public school districts in the state to require students and employees to wear masks on school grounds when classes resume in the fall.
Inslee blamed the need to wear masks on residents who have chosen not to get vaccinated against COVID-19, during a press conference on July 28.
"We will continue our existing policies regarding masking, all students and employees will be required to wear masks around each other in the building, regardless of their vaccination status," he said." This is a legal requirement that all districts will need to follow."
In Eastern Washington, only about 1-of-3 three residents have been inoculated, even after the state offered numerous giveaways as an incentive to get vaccinated.
In addition to requiring all public school students and workers to wear masks, he called on others to voluntarily wear a mask in public as the new "Delta variant" of the virus spreads.
"This is only a recommendation, not a legal requirement," he said of masks, noting that not having to wear a mask is also an incentive to get a vaccination.
While saying the masking suggestion is only a recommendation, he reaffirmed an order requiring employers to police workers and make them get vaccinated or wear a mask to work.
Inslee called it "maddening" that residents are choosing not to get the experimental vaccination, calling the current increase in cases the "fifth wave."
The basis for his mask recommendation, he said, was "evidence from the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)" that even vaccinated people can transmit the disease to other people.
At the same time, Inslee said people who are vaccinated are not getting sick.
The CDC noted thousands of "breakthrough cases" nationwide, in which vaccinated individuals are getting sick due to the coronavirus.
In addition, some vaccine manufacturers have noted that there may be a need for a third inoculation against the virus. Several vaccines already require at least two injections.
Inslee blamed the spread of the virus on unvaccinated residents.
"We just can't have unvaccinated people injuring their fellow citizens," the governor said. "People who are unvaccinated right now are a danger to their fellow citizens.
State Secretary of Health Dr. Umair A. Shah backed up the governor's call but he also said vaccinated residents are the primary drivers of the spread.
"Those who are vaccinated – let me be very clear – are largely driving this increase in transmission across the state of Washington, and the country," Shah said.
Roger Harnack is the co-owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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