On Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, King County Executive Dow Constantine helped kick off a vaccine verification preview campaign aimed at highlighting what businesses and customers can expect – and how to get prepared – once the new policy takes effect across the county.

Constantine was joined by Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan, Public Health – Seattle & King County Interim Director Dennis Worsham, and Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce CEO Rachel Smith.

Previewing the new policy on social media, the county says that the campaign will bring attention to the Public Health Order’s start date and include resources for businesses such as planning checklists and signage, information on ways to show vaccination status or proof of negative COVID-19 test, and how to get vaccinated in King County if residents have yet to do so.

Executive Constantine will also highlight several small businesses getting ready for the new policy, including Cafe Allegro in the U District, where he and Mayor Durkan demonstrated the verification process today. Other businesses include Café Lago and Athletic Form.

Here’s more from the county:

“This new policy will keep people safe and keep businesses open, protecting our community’s health and economy as we continue to navigate this pandemic,” Constantine said. “As King County businesses and residents prepare for the vaccine verification health order to go into effect, we are here to help with resources, customer service support, and technical assistance.”

“Seattle is not immune to the increase in cases and hospitalizations caused by the Delta variant. With vaccine verification, we are acting boldly to change the trajectory of the virus and keep our communities safe. I am grateful to our partners at King County, the Seattle Metro Chamber, and all the businesses and organizations who are working to implement the vaccination verification policy. It’s the right thing to do for our workers, our customers, our economy, and the health and vitality of our city,” said Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan.

Since the vaccine verification policy was announced in September, King County has continued to work with community partners, businesses, and cities to ensure a smooth launch next week. In particular, Public Health – Seattle & King County has partnered closely with the Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce to launch KC Vax Verified, a website with resources to help businesses prepare for and implement the new health order.

“People who are not fully vaccinated are significantly more likely to contract COVID-19, spread it to others, and become seriously ill,” said Dennis Worsham, Interim Director for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “Vaccine verification provides an additional layer of protection to avoid another COVID surge, safeguard our healthcare system, and keep businesses and schools open. I’m grateful to King County’s businesses and community organizations for their help in implementing this new policy and prioritizing the safety of their staff and customers.”

“The Seattle Metro Chamber strongly and actively supports vaccination because we know it is the path out of this pandemic and toward an equitable economic recovery,” said Rachel Smith, president and CEO of the Seattle Metro Chamber. “Thanks to a tight-knit partnership with King County, we have information and tools ready to make compliance simple, and we have built a network of support organizations to help businesses of all sizes throughout our region. The Chamber is a champion for all King County businesses and we’ll be with them every step of the way.”