WA -It’s been two years since the start of mask mandates. Now, it’s clear that the endemic is near.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced Thursday afternoon the state mask mandate will end March 21st. However, many people are left wondering about the precautions they can continue taking come March 21st.
I spoke with health leaders from the Benton-Franklin Health District who say we should respect the use of masks despite the concerns.
“When COVID becomes endemic and a lot of people hear the word end, well it doesn’t mean it’s gone,” said Heather Hill, a public health nurse. “It’s becoming more of a this is our normal level of this particular organism.”
Despite being this close to the finish line, BFHD is still reporting high COVID case rates so it’s important to practice safe health measures.
She told me social distancing, good hygiene and the need for self-quarantine shouldn’t need to stop.
Once the indoor mandate is lifted, businesses can decide to either require employees and customers to wear a mask or not. Nurse Hill says that some indoor facilities like hospitals, jails, prisons, and other long-term care centers will require masks because they’re considered high-risk settings.
However, the federal mask mandate is set to end on March 18th. So what does that mean for the state of Washington?
I reached out to the Governor’s office and they said all federal entities like airports will no longer require a mask.
Therefore in Washington, public transportation will STILL require masks until March 21st.
As for schools, the Governor’s office posted a blog post giving in-depth information about the following month.
Starting March 1st, vaccine verification with no longer be required for large events, but businesses and local governments can still choose to require face masks.
It states that guidance for the schools K-12 will be updated on March 7th. The Department of Health will issue updated guidelines that schools need to follow come March 21st since schools and childcare facilities will no longer require masks.
Part of this includes, schools will need to continue reporting COVID-19 cases and outbreaks with public health authorities. Staff and students will also need to continue to quarantine and stay away from school grounds if infected.
As for those that wish to continue wearing a mask, there’s an anti-discriminatory law that protects you from wearing a mask even if it’s not required.
