Texas governor asks hospitals to forgo elective surgeries as coronavirus cases rise

In SEATTLE, WA – MARCH 16: Washington state Governor Jay Inslee, joined by King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan hold a press conference to provide details on a temporary statewide shutdown of restaurants, bars, and entertainment and recreational facilities to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, on March 16, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. Inslee declared a state of emergency in response to new cases of COVID-19 earlier this month. (Photo by Elaine Thompson – Pool/Getty Images) (Elaine Thompson/Getty Images)

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced a major effort to increase vaccinations in the state by implementing a Covid-19 vaccine mandate for all state employees, private health workers and those working in long-term settings.

The mandate would cover 60,000 state employees and 400,00 health workers plus thousands of contractors. Under the mandate these workers are required to be vaccinated in places where the state is doing business. 

Those workers covered by the order will have to get fully vaccinated by Oct. 18

The governor’s measure does not apply to certain state employees, like employees of agencies that are controlled by separately elected statewide officials and does not include students in K-12 or universities.  

While there is a recommendation to use masks indoors, there is no mask mandate, Inslee added. 

Limited exemptions based on religious or medical issues will be considered, he said. The exceptions do not include philosophical or personal reasons. 

“We are in this pickle today because 30% of our eligible citizens so far have chosen not to get this life-saving vaccine, but we trust they’ll make the right choice,” Inslee said. “The overwhelming majority of recent hospitalizations is of people that have not been vaccinated.” 

At least 69% of the Washington state residents 12 and older have received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the state’s Department of Health Covid-19 dashboard. 

At least 4.5 million Washington state residents have received a vaccine, Health Secretary Dr. Umair Shah told reporters. 

Inslee said that the severe rise in the cases in the state was due to the Delta variant, and that cases among unvaccinated individuals were on the rise with cases doubling in just one week.