Starting Sunday, you’ll need to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative vaccine test within 72 hours to enter many King County indoor and outdoor public venues, due to a new county vaccination order implemented as the deadly pandemic nears its second year.

King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan this week launched the verification of vaccination campaign detailing the new health order amid a growing number of hospitalizations and deaths due to the COVID delta variant.

The order goes into effect on Oct. 25 and mandates all people 12-years old or over show verification that they are fully vaccinated (having received required doses of an FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine) to enter indoor eating establishments with a seating capacity of 12 or more and indoor entertainment or recreational facilities. The mandate also requires proof of verification for outdoor recreational and entertainment events of 500 people or more.

In other words, you’ll need to produce paperwork of being free from COVID to enter such venues as:

• Indoor bars, taverns and restaurants with seating capacity of 12 or more
• Public pools, gyms and fitness centers
• Amateur and professional sport arenas (indoor and outdoor)
• Indoor and outdoor concerts
• Conventions and conferences

Officials said the vaccination order will remain in effect for six months (until March 16, 2022) and will be re-evaluated at that time or sooner, based on the status and impacts of COVID in the county.

Officials said the policy also carries strict anti-discrimination requirements, adding that employers, their employees and volunteers must implement the order equitably and cannot scrutinize proof of vaccination based on a person’s race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

King County is home to the nation’s first known COVID-19 death, in February of last year, and neighboring Snohomish County posted the nation’s first known COVID-19 case one month prior. As of Oct. 21, there have been more than 160,000 confirmed COVID cases in Washington state and more than 1,900 deaths. Statewide, there have been more than 707,000 confirmed COVID cases and more than 8,400 deaths.