Students in California, Oregon and Washington will no longer be required to wear masks in classrooms as part of coronavirus prevention measures, the governors of the three states jointly announced Monday.
“As case and hospitalization rates decline in the West, California, Oregon and Washington are coming together to update their mask wearing guidelines,” the governors said in a statement.
The new guidelines will only recommend the use of face masks, instead of mandating it, in most closed places in California starting Tuesday and in schools starting March 12, regardless of vaccination status.
In Washington and Oregon, all requirements will be lifted on March 12.
The federal mask order will remain in effect in closed high-risk places, such as public transportation, airports and taxis. Rules for other high-risk indoor locations may also vary by state.
The announcement comes as much of the country relaxes public health orders, including mask-wearing orders in schools, in an effort to restore normalcy and fuel economic recovery as Americans learn to live with the virus.
“Two years ago we identified the first case of COVID-19 in Oregon,” Oregon Governor Kate Brown said in the statement.
“On the West Coast our communities and economies are linked. Together, as we continue to recover from the omicron variant uptick, we will build resilience and prepare for the next variant and the next pandemic.”
A few weeks ago, California became the first state to formally switch to an endemic approach to dealing with the coronavirus, with Governor Gavin Newsom announcing a plan that prioritizes prevention and rapid reaction to outbreaks over drug use orders. masks and business closures.
Although many parents continue to support the use of masks in schools, others have questioned why it is necessary when they are no longer required in supermarkets and elsewhere.