New vaccine mandate for higher ed employees

³Û±ð²õ³Ù±ð°ù»å²¹²â,Ìý for employees working in higher education, K-12 and most childcare and early learning settings.

Employees will have until Oct. 18 to be fully vaccinated or submit an exemption for medical or religious reasons. The requirement is a condition of employment. Regardless, ºÚÁÏÉç employees MUST enter their declaration of vaccination or file for an exemption on  by Aug. 23. Those who asked for exemptions must either become fully vaccinated or file a medical or religious exemption by Oct. 18.

Note that employees are required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18, which means that they must be two weeks past their final dose of the vaccine. To meet this requirement, the Moderna vaccine regimen must be started by Sept. 6, the Pfizer regimen by Sept. 13, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine no later than Oct. 4.

Instructions for submitting a declaration or an exemption as a ºÚÁÏÉç employee:

1. ³Õ¾±²õ¾±³ÙÌý
2. Select “Requests” from the welcome page and then “Create Request”
3. In the “Request Type” window, type “COVID” and press “enter”
4. Select “COVID-19 Employee Vaccination Declaration” and click “OK”
5. Read the declaration statement and select the statement appropriate to you
6. Click “Submit”

The vaccination mandate for state employees does not apply to students. For student requirements, visit tricities.wsu.edu/covid-19/guidelines.

Indoor mask mandate

In addition to vaccine requirements,  a statewide mask mandate that will include vaccinated individuals in indoor settings.

Effective Monday, Aug. 23, all individuals over the age of 5 must wear a mask while in indoor settings that may be accessed by the public, including restaurants, grocery stores, malls and public-facing offices, regardless of vaccination status. The mandate also applies to schools (including colleges and universities).

There will be limited exceptions when masks aren’t required, such as office spaces not easily accessible to the public where individuals are vaccinated, and when working alone indoors or in a vehicle with no public face-to-face interaction.

For latest ºÚÁÏÉç COVID-19 information, visit:

ºÚÁÏÉç system COVID-19 website | 
ºÚÁÏÉç Tri-Cities COVID-19 website | 

Changes to vaccination requirements and dates

Earlier today, it was announced on  and in an  that the deadline to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a request for exemption has been changed.

Students must provide proof that they have initiated or completed the vaccination process or must request an exemption by Sept. 10. Employees must also submit a vaccine declaration or request an exemption by Aug. 23. The change is in response to the ever-changing circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the spread of the Delta variant rising and with particularly high rates of spread in Benton and Franklin counties, taking steps now to mitigate the spread is prudent.

Processes for campus community members

Students must either submit proof of initiation or completion of a COVID-19 vaccination or request an exemption through the .

Employees are required to declare their vaccination status or request an exemption via . More information is available on .

Students, faculty and staff who work in healthcare or clinical settings in Washington state are subject to . These individuals are not permitted to request a personal/philosophical exemption.

Face coverings

Individuals who do not provide proof of vaccination must wear a face mask when inside a ºÚÁÏÉç facility. Fully vaccinated Cougs are also encouraged to wear a face mask while indoors when the status of those around them is unknown.

After FDA approval of COVID-19 vaccine, personal exemptions no longer an option

As also indicated in ºÚÁÏÉç Insider, after any of the three currently approved vaccines receive full FDA approval, personal exemptions will no longer be an option. Exemptions for religious and medical reasons, however, will be allowed. Students will have 45 days following the approval date to provide proof of vaccination (or initiation of the vaccination) or file for a medical or religious exemption. Upon FDA approval, the updated process for filing a new medical or religious exemption will be provided.

COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective

COVID-19 vaccines remain highly effective at preventing severe disease, and breakthrough infections for COVID-19 vaccinated individuals remain uncommon. Local data indicates that more than 90% of new COVID-19 infections are among unvaccinated people. We encourage you to talk to your health care provider about your best options.

On-campus COVID-19 vaccine clinics beginning Aug. 18

Every Wednesday through end of September
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Mobile medical unit in the Floyd Building parking lot
Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber will offer $50 gift cards to first 50 people who get vaccinated

As we have all learned amid this pandemic, things are fluid. We continue to thank you for your patience and understanding. We have an incredible ºÚÁÏÉç Tri-Cities Coug community.