Oregon to Lift Indoor Mask Mandate On Or Before March 31st

The Oregon Health Authority announced today that the state will lift the indoor mask mandate in public spaces on March 31st.

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The mandate will be lifted for indoor public spaces including public schools k-12 on March 31st. However, masks will be required in healthcare settings.

When the mandate is lifted, businesses will have the option to police their own policies for customers and employees. The same applies to individual school districts after March 31st.

According to a release from the Oregon Health Authority:

“The evidence from Oregon and around the country is clear: masks save lives by slowing the spread of COVID-19,” said Dean Sidelinger, M.D., health officer and state epidemiologist. “We should see COVID-19 hospitalizations drop by the end of March because so many Oregonians are wearing masks and taking other steps to protect themselves and each other, such as getting a booster shot or vaccinating their children. At that point, it will be safer to lift mask requirements.”

Michele Ursi

OR State health officials say they're considering lifting the indoor mask mandate sooner if hospitalizations decline to the levels projected by the end of March sooner than expected.

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