Mask off? Here’s where every state stands with mask requirements
US mask debate and political war on surgical masks as an American culture conflict as two sides one wearing a face covering and another person refusing to wear virus protection in a 3D illustration style.
maylen
DENVER (KDVR) — COVID-19 has been in the United States for more than a year now. With the arrival of the coronavirus in 2020 came the guidance on wearing a mask or face covering.
Now that multiple COVID-19 vaccines are becoming more widely available across the country, is it time to ditch the mask?
The Center’s for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance at the end of February recommending that people wear masks in public settings, at events and gatherings, and anywhere they will be around other people.
Masks or face coverings are also required for travel on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.
In February, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert said it’s “possible” Americans will need to continue wearing masks into 2022 to protect against COVID-19.
Dr. Fauci also said, “I want to see [the COVID-19 numbers] go way down,” he continued. “When it goes way down and the overwhelming majority of people are vaccinated, then I’d feel comfortable saying we don’t need to wear masks.”
So, where does your state stand on wearing masks?
- Alabama: Statewide mask mandate will be lifted on April 9
- Alaska: No mask mandate
- Arizona: No statewide mask mandate but masks are required in certain businesses
- Arkansas: Statewide mask mandate projected to end on March 31
- California: Statewide mask mandate
- Colorado: Statewide mask mandate
- Connecticut: Statewide mask mandate
- Delaware: Statewide mask mandate
- Florida: No statewide mask mandate
- Georgia: No statewide mask mandate
- Hawaii: Statewide mask mandate
- Idaho: No statewide mask mandate
- Illinois: Statewide mask mandate
- Indiana: Statewide mask mandate
- Iowa: No statewide mask mandate
- Kansas: Statewide mask mandate but counties are allowed to opt out
- Kentucky: Statewide mask mandate
- Louisiana: Statewide mask mandate scheduled to expire March 31
- Maine: Statewide mask mandate
- Maryland: Statewide mask mandate
- Massachusetts: Statewide mask mandate
- Michigan: Statewide mask mandate
- Minnesota: Statewide mask mandate
- Mississippi: No statewide mask mandate
- Missouri: No Statewide mask mandate
- Montana: No statewide mask mandate
- Nebraska: No statewide mask mandate
- Nevada: Statewide mask mandate
- New Hampshire: Statewide mask mandate
- New Jersey: Statewide mask mandate
- New Mexico: Statewide mask mandate
- New York: Statewide mask mandate
- North Carolina: Statewide mask mandate
- North Dakota: No statewide mask mandate
- Ohio: Statewide mask mandate
- Oklahoma: No statewide mask mandate
- Oregon: Statewide mask mandate
- Pennsylvania: Statewide mask mandate
- Rhode Island: Statewide mask mandate
- South Carolina: No statewide mask mandate
- South Dakota: No statewide mask mandate
- Tennessee: No statewide mask mandate
- Texas: No statewide mask mandate
- Utah: Statewide mask mandate
- Vermont: Statewide mask mandate
- Virginia: Statewide mask mandate
- Washington: Statewide mask mandate
- West Virginia: Statewide mask mandate
- Wisconsin: Statewide mask mandate scheduled to expire on April 5
- Wyoming: No statewide mask mandate
