PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University is dropping its mask mandate for individuals vaccinated for COVID-19. The University of Idaho also announced that it will no longer require masks.
In an alert to the school community, WSU said employees, students and visitors who provide proof of full vaccination will be allowed to forgo face masks and social distancing. At the University of Idaho, mask will not be required at any of its four campuses. It also applies in all other statewide locations where local county or city protocols do not require masks. The school anticipated a return to regular operations and capacities for fall.
At WSU, those who are not wearing masks may have to provide proof of vaccination prior to entering university facilities. The policy goes into effect Thursday, May 27.
No WSU employee is permitted to ask for reasons why a student, employee or visits is or is not vaccinated.
Acceptable forms of vaccination proof include:
- A CDC vaccination card (which includes name of person vaccinated, type of vaccine provided, and date last dose administered)
- A photo of a CDC vaccination card as a separate document or a photo of the attendee’s vaccine card stored on a phone or electronic device
- Documentation of vaccination from a health care provider or state immunization information system record
- A hard copy or electronically signed self-attestation from the employee
This comes two weeks after Governor Jay Inslee lifted the state’s mask mandate for fully vaccinated people.
Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday, May 13 the state was adopting the updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which states that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks unless they're in crowded indoor settings like schools, buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters.
People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after the one shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Inslee said he hopes easing the state's mask guidance will encourage people to get vaccinated.
Despite the changes, businesses can still legally require customers to wear masks if they choose and they can also inquire about a customer's vaccination status.
Officials with the Department of Health said fully vaccinated people should take a photo of their COVID-19 vaccination card and store it on their phone, or keep the card with them, to be able to show it at businesses if necessary.