More parts of the country are dropping mask requirements, signaling a new phase in the pandemic.
Highlights
- Every state, with the exception of Hawaii, is either ditching or eliminating mask mandates as the Omicron surge recedes.
- The disease continues to kill about 2,000 Americans a day.
- New York and Rhode Island this month lifted indoor mask rules for businesses, but still require them in schools.
- In Los Angeles County, residents can soon go maskless so long as they show proof of vaccination at indoor venues.
- Hawaii Governor David Ige is the only state holding onto its mask mandate as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations steadily decline.
- Even as states relax the rules on facial coverings, unvaccinated people are still required to wear them in some indoor settings and places like nursing homes and public transportation.