Official measure | By order of the Government, people who go out into the street while sick will be punished one by one

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By government decision, these people will be punished one by one: What exactly does the law in Washington say?
All people who go out while sick will be punished: What is the penalty applied in each case?

In the state of Washington there is a state law that regulates a common behavior in many places around the world and is underestimated by a large part of the population, except in extreme scenarios such as pandemics. This law penalizes those who go out while sick.

The Washington Revised Code (RCW) includes all state laws in force to date, including those approved by the legislature as well as those enacted by the governor in office. It also includes those approved by voters during elections.

Within this compilation is RCW 70.54.050: sanction for exposing others to a contagious disease. In Washington, this action is classified as a misdemeanor.

By government decision, these people will be punished one by one: What exactly does the law in Washington say?

According to the RCW: “A person commits a misdemeanor if, voluntarily, they expose themselves in a public place in a way that could infect other people with an infectious disease, unless it is a necessary transfer carried out without putting the public at risk. A person who has the disease and exposes others without their knowing also commits a misdemeanor".

In the state of Washington there is a state law that regulates a common behavior in many places around the world and is underestimated by a large part of the population, except in extreme scenarios such as pandemics. Image: archive.

In other words, anyone who knows they have an infectious disease and exposes themselves in public places, putting others at risk, could be sanctioned. The same applies even if the contact is with only a few people. In this sense, inviting someone to your home in that condition without warning them about the risk could also be penalized.

All people who go out while sick will be punished: What is the penalty applied in each case?

The law does not specify a particular penalty for this offense, so it falls under the general rules framework. Therefore, according to section 14 of chapter 1 of the Washington Criminal Code, the convicted person may receive a sentence of up to 90 days in jail in a county jail or a fine of up to $250.

It is clear that the penalties specified above are the maximum, but in practice they are not usually applied broadly and are usually reserved for more serious diseases and more specific situations, such as failing to disclose HIV status before having sexual relations.