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California to Lift Indoor Mask Mandate for the Vaccinated Next Week

Unvaccinated people will still be required to wear masks indoors, and the mandate will remain in place in schools and nursing homes.

Noting the recent drop in coronavirus cases after the surge caused by the Omicron variant, California will end its universal indoor masking requirement, state officials said Monday. “With things moving in the right direction, we are making responsible modifications to COVID-19 prevention measures, while also continuing to develop a longer-term action plan for the state,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, the state’s public health officer, according to the Los Angeles Times. The statewide requirement is set to expire on Feb. 15, though it will remain in place for select people—like those who are unvaccinated—and in certain places, such as in nursing homes, K-12 schools, or on public transport. Cases of COVID-19 have fallen more than 60 percent in California since Omicron’s peak nearly a month ago, with the number of patients hospitalized dropping more than 30 percent. The mask mandate is nearly two months old, having been reinstated in mid-December following an explosion of cases related to the new variant. Local mask orders, such as those in place in parts of Los Angeles and San Francisco, will remain in place.