COVID vaccine mandates needed, but WA Gov. Inslee should be prepared for employee exodus

The backlash against Gov. Jay Inslee’s mask and vaccine mandates has been loud and fierce, but angry rallies likely won’t change his mind.

He has taken a tough stand by requiring WA state employees, health care workers and school personnel be fully vaccinated against COVID by Oct. 18 or lose their jobs. While those opposing this order are livid, protests against statewide restrictions didn’t work last year and we doubt they will this year.

Even though we don’t expect Inslee to back off, he must at least monitor the fallout and be prepared to help communities and school districts that end up with serious staffing shortages because of his latest mandates.

Pasco City Manager Dave Zabell told the Tri-City Herald Editorial Board that firefighters and EMT’s are included as health care workers, and he estimates he could lose at least 10 of the 80 employees in that department because of the vaccine requirement.

Their opposition to getting a COVID shot is so strong that they would rather move to another state or find some other line of work than be forced to get the vaccine, he said. And if that happens, one of the city’s fire stations likely would have to close because there won’t be enough staff to keep all of them open.

While the vaccine mandate may be good in the long-term for public health, in the short-term it could negatively affect public safety, said Zabell.

Richland Superintendent Shelley Redinger also is troubled. She said in a letter recently sent to Richland school employees that “while many of our staff in Richland School District have chosen to vaccinate, many others have not,” and that “a good portion” of unvaccinated staff likely will depart the district just as the school year is beginning.

Kennewick School Superintendent Traci Pierce echoed similar concerns and added that state officials have “clearly communicated” that state and federal funds will be withheld if districts do not follow COVID-related rules.

So school districts don’t have a choice — they must require their employees get the COVID shot or they won’t get funding.

Franklin County Assessor John Rosenau said he could lose employees in his office because “before they take that mandate … they’ll quit. Before they take it, they will leave and I can’t afford to lose employees in that office. And I’ve got some that are taking that hard of a stand.”

Franklin County does not require its employees get a vaccine, but workers will still have to follow the state mandate requiring masks be worn inside.

Rosenau spoke Tuesday at Franklin County’s illegal county commission meeting. Thanks to a premeditated plan by Commissioner Clint Didier, the meeting turned into an anti-mandate, governor-bashing protest. The passion and outrage in the room that day was palpable, even from watching the recorded video.

Inslee shouldn’t assume the threat of employees leaving is just talk. He must have some kind of backup plan in place in case there is a mass exodus.

Most alarming of all, there are concerns that those working in the health care field are burned out and the vaccine mandate will be the last straw.

Many citizens will say that is just as well. If you are sick in the hospital, would you really want an unvaccinated nurse in charge of your care? If you call 911 because of a medical emergency, wouldn’t you prefer a vaccinated EMT enter your home?

And if your child is too young to get the vaccine, do you really want them around unvaxxed adults for hours during the school week?

Benton and Franklin counties have had more than 200 and sometimes more than 300 new COVID-19 cases confirmed on recent days. Up to 95 percent of COVID patients in Tri-City hospitals are unvaccinated and many are in a younger demographic.

It is obvious COVID cases are out of control and drastic measures are necessary.

But Inslee should be prepared if those measures result in staff shortages instead of higher vaccine rates. It shouldn’t fall only to community leaders and school superintendents to figure out how to manage this potential disaster.

This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 12:26 PM.