The Dane County mask mandate is scheduled to expire this upcoming Tuesday, March 1, beginning at 12 a.m. Individuals will no longer be required to wear masks while in enclosed settings with other residents, however, in certain circumstances residents will be expected to continue masking.
University of Wisconsin-Madison students will continue to be required to wear masks inside of facilities associated with the university as a result of the on-campus mask mandate which was recently extended until March 11 by Chancellor Rebecca Blank.
Private business owners will be able to require patrons to wear masks while on their property. Masks will also be required on communal transportation, such as buses, taxis and Ubers, as a result of the federal mask mandate which is in place until March 18.
Public Health Madison and Dane County have encouraged residents to continue to take precautions regarding COVID-19 following the end of the mask mandate this upcoming Tuesday.
“Letting the face covering order expire doesn’t mean that the pandemic is over. Rather, it signals that we have made it through the omicron surge and are entering a new stage of the pandemic,” Director of the PHMDC Janel Heinrich said in a public statement.
PHMDC officials have not elaborated if the mask mandate could be reinstituted in the future. Spokesperson Morgan Finke stated that there are no additional orders planned at this time.
