Inlsee issues update to proclamation requiring COVID-19 testing for agricultural workers

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday issued an update to Proclamation 20-57 that now requires agricultural employers to test their workforce broadly when health officials identify a COVID-19 outbreak that passes certain thresholds.

Inslee first issued the proclamation May 28. Since then the total number of cases in Washington has risen by more than 45,000 to 67,721 at an average rate of more than 500 per day.

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Many cases, Inslee said, are appearing at farms and food-packing facilities where many employees work, travel and live together in close contact.

“There is no question that we need to escalate our response to this pandemic, and we know that additional focus must be placed on agricultural workplaces,” Inslee said in a news release. “From the data, we know that people of color have been disproportionately impacted by this pandemic, and while we have much work to do to address that, this is one step in the right direction.”

Secretary of Health John Wiesman has also concurrently directed an order to Gebbers Farms following an outbreak of COVID-19 among its operations resulting in the deaths of three employees in Okanogan County.

Wiseman’s order will require all Gebbers employees to be tested in the coming weeks.

 “Testing is one of the critical tools we have available to slow the spread of COVID-19,” Wiesman said. “With the large and disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on agricultural workers, it is important that we come together to quickly identify cases, including those who may be asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic, so we can ensure they have a safe work environment.”

Cox Media Group