(Image: CC Attle’s)

As we get to a higher, safer percentage of King County residents fully vaccinated, Capitol Hill restaurant, bar, salon, and retail workers are joining health officials in asking customers to keep their masks on. But at one center of good times on the Hill this weekend, patrons were enjoying uncovered smiles and un-distanced socializing.

“This is not a political statement about vaccine,” CC Seattle’s Chris Daw tells CHS. “This is a statement about consistency of message and moving out of covid.”

Starting Saturday, the popular E Olive Way gay bar became the first neighborhood venue to publicly announce it is requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all customers entering the establishment. Along with the vaccination requirement, CC’s has been able to relax guidelines around masking and distancing.

“The constant changing of directives by various agencies over mask use and what is safe, has caused confusion and frustration over what is the right thing to do,” CC’s announcement reads. “Because of this, we have made the decision to only admit people that have been fully vaccinated and will require proof of full vaccination to gain entry. This protects our staff and all others that choose to enter, it also adds incentive for others to get vaccinated.”

CC Attle’s customers are asked to bring a copy of their vaccination card or a picture on your phone “showing completion of the vaccine with the name and date of birth that matches your legal ID to show for entry.”

“You will be denied entry without this information!,” the CC’s announcement warns. “We understand this may be inconvenient or controversial for some, but it is safer for everyone in the long run.”

(Image: CC Attle’s)

While the announcement filled Facebook with comments from a handful of people who think the requirement might infringe on their rights, CHS has heard the weekend at CC’s went smoothly and that the fully vaccinated mix of employees and customers were able to enjoy the first moments of a real reopening and moving beyond COVID-19.

“From a mental health standpoint, we’ve all been dealing with this for 14 months,” Daw said.

Officials have presented mixed messages with federal and state guidelines loosening around indoor masking. But as King County continues to face falling levels after a fourth wave of infections and hospitalizations, officials here have recommended continued indoor masking. “Our community has made great progress with our vaccination rates, particularly for older adults, but rates are lower in many others and vary by age, neighborhood, race and ethnicity,” King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin said in a statement Thursday as he issued an updated directive “strongly urging all residents, fully vaccinated or not, to continue wearing face masks in public indoor settings.”

“We want to avoid an increase in people who are unvaccinated without masks in indoor settings at a time when we have substantial COVID-19 activity in the community,” Duchin said.

Rather than ask its employees to be mask police, CC’s move echoes efforts at major sporting events where teams like the Mariners and Sounders have created vaccinated-only seating sections complete with special entrances and reduced masking and social distancing requirements for fans.

It’s not clear how long the requirement at CC’s will be necessary as the bar marks a decade on E Olive Way after moving there from its E Madison birthplace in 2011. June will also be a busy month. Official Seattle Pride events have been moved to online only again until later this summer for the second year in a row but Capitol Hill’s bars and restaurants are hoping for growing but safe crowds of patrons.

Huge progress on vaccinations has been made in Seattle and the county, helping to slow continued spread. Across the county as a whole, 57% of those eligible are estimated to now be fully vaccinated. With around 71% having received at least one dose, King County is weeks away from a much more widely protected population.

In the meantime, other venues may follow the E Olive Way bar’s lead. CHS has heard about Capitol Hill bars and restaurants watching the solution at CC’s as they consider putting their own vaccination requirements in place and enjoying the opportunity to move more fully forward in the reopening process while getting out of the business of being the mask police.

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