Technologies

COVID Mask Mandates: Which States Still Cover Up?

Which are the states without mask mandates — and which states are letting them expire soon?

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites.

Within the past three weeks, half of the states that instituted mask mandates in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have lifted that requirement.

Rhode Island and Delaware ended mask-or-vaccine provisions for indoor spaces on Feb. 11, one day after New York ended its latest mask mandate.

«We’re in a much better place than we were several weeks ago in the middle of the omicron surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations,» Governor John Carney, a Democrat, said in a statement.

Those states were followed by California and Connecticut, which lifted their indoor masking requirements on Tuesday.

The highly transmissible omicron variant prompted some states and cities to reinstitute mask mandates during the winter holiday season, but as infections and hospitalizations drop sharply, those requirements are quickly ending.

Here’s everything you need to know about which states have ended mask mandates, which regions still require face coverings for businesses, schools or both and where the CDC stands on the issue.

For more, check out our top face mask picks, the best masks for children and the face mask myths putting people at risk.

Which states are ending mask mandates?

New York ended its mask mandates for everyone on Feb. 10, though cities, counties and individual businesses can still enforce mask-or-vaccine requirements, but it’s no longer required by state law.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak lifted the state’s mask requirement the same day.

«Masks are still a great tool we have to slow the spread of the virus,» Sisolak said in a statement. «The state will no longer require masks in public places, but employers and organizations, including school districts, may set their own policies, and I encourage them to work with their employees and communities to ensure that policies are in place.»

Delaware Gov. John Carney lifted the state’s universal mask mandate on Feb. 11, the same day Rhode Island also announced an immediate end to mask-or-vaccine requirements for indoor spaces.

California’s indoor masking requirements for vaccinated people ended on Feb. 15, though unvaccinated people are still required to wear face coverings indoors.

Illinois plans to end its statewide indoor mask mandate on Feb. 28, Gov. Bill Pritzer said, citing the state’s sharp drop in hospitalizations.

The Oregon Health Authority and Department of Human Services said it expected an end to masking requirements in the state «no later than March 31.»

Massachusetts currently requires masks in certain situations, including on public transportation and in health care facilities and nursing homes. On Tuesday, public health officials dropped an advisory that everyone should wear masks indoors, instead recommending face coverings be worn by unvaccinated individuals and vaccinated persons with specific medical conditions.

Which states currently require masks in public?

Five US states and four territories currently require masks in indoor settings like restaurants, bars and gyms:

Illinois
Hawaii
New Mexico
Oregon
Washington
District of Columbia
Puerto Rico
US Virgin Islands
Guam

As noted above, Illinois‘ statewide mask rules end Feb. 28, as do similar requirements in Washington, DC. The Oregon Health Authority has said it expects to lift the state’s indoor mask mandate no later than Mar. 31.

Washington has already lifted its outdoor mask requirement, but rules for indoor masking still remain. Gov. Jay Inslee said he expected to announce next week when all masking requirements would end.

California and Connecticut only require unvaccinated people to wear masks indoors.

The AARP has an excellent state-by-state rundown of mask mandates across the US.

Which states still have mask mandates for schools?

California
Connecticut
Delaware
Hawaii
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Oregon
Rhode Island
Washington
District of Columbia
Guam
Puerto Rico
US Virgin Islands

Statewide mask requirements in schools in Massachusetts and Connecticut are ending on Feb. 28.

Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee indicated that indoor masking in public K-12 schools will end on March 4, though local municipalities can implement their own masking policies.

New Jersey announced it would lift mask requirements for students and school employees on Mar. 7.

The Oregon Health Authority said the state will end mask requirements in schools «no later than Mar 31,» the day such requirements are slated to end in Delaware schools.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has not ended masking rules for schools, but they have been suspended following a vote by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.

In Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan has called on the State Board of Education to rescind its mask requirement for all students and staff in public schools. Local school systems, however, can vote to make masks optional once 80% of eligible residents are vaccinated.

The Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities regularly updates its list of states that have mask mandates, as well as those with bans on mask requirements.

What is the federal mask mandate?

In December, due to concerns around the more virulent omicron variant, the Biden administration extended its mask mandate for those traveling by trains, buses and airplanes. Originally intended to expire on Jan. 18, the measure is now set to end March 18.

The Biden administration has not said yet if it plans to extend the federal mask mandate further.

What does the CDC recommend about masking?

The CDC still encourages everyone age 2 years and older, vaccinated or unvaccinated, to continue wearing masks when in public indoor spaces, especially if in a high COVID-19 transmission area.

But the agency is expected to loosen its indoor masking guidelines as early as next week, reportedly switching to a benchmark that looks ath the level of severe disease and hospitalizations in a given community, rather than a blanket nationwide directive.

The CDC originally stated in May 2021 that vaccinated people did not need to wear masks anywhere, but reversed course in July when the delta variant of COVID-19 led to higher numbers of infections, hospitalizations and deaths.

People outdoors generally do not need to wear masks, the agency says, unless they are in extended close contact with other people.

What is the World Health Organization’s position on masks?

The World Health Organization’s current guidance is that wearing a well-fitting mask that covers the nose and mouth is recommended indoors in areas with poor ventilation or where social distancing cannot be maintained, «irrespective of vaccination status or history of prior infection.»

For more information, here’s what you need to know about «long COVID» and how it’s treated. Also, read up on these COVID-19 vaccine side effects and important dos and don’ts of getting your COVID-19 vaccine.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

Technologies

Google’s New AI Features Are Trying to Make Data Entry a Thing of the Past

More Gemini AI features will come to Google Docs, Sheets and Slides.

The latest batch of Google updates to its workspace tools highlights AI’s promise to automate mundanity in the workplace. Google Docs, Slides, Sheets and Drive all have new AI-powered features, the company announced Tuesday. The one thing all these updates have in common? Gemini is using your files, emails and chats to give you relevant information, not random answers gleaned from the web.

These updates come as AI is playing a bigger role in our work lives, for better or worse. Agentic tools like Claude Cowork and coding assistants like Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex are more capable than chatbots and able to handle tasks announced independently. AI tools are also becoming more customized, with Google’s personalized intelligence rolling out across its platforms to help refine AI outputs to things that are relevant and useful for you. Google continues that trend with this new batch of Workspace updates.

New Gemini AI features in Google Workspace apps will cite their sources after each query. For example, if you ask Gemini in Google Docs to fill out an itinerary template, it will pull the information from your email, chats and files. The «sources» tab in the Gemini side panel will show you where it found the information it used, like your flight confirmation email and chats discussing dinner plans. Seeing where Gemini pulled its answers from is also how you’ll double-check Gemini’s work.

The most impressive new features are in Sheets, where AI can fill in the holes in your spreadsheets. You can describe what you want the AI to do with a simple prompt and avoid writing an exact formula. You can click on an empty cell, select the pop-up that says «Drag to fill with Gemini,» then highlight the cells you want Gemini to fill in. That deploys an AI agent to search the web to fill each cell with the necessary information.

For example, if you have a spreadsheet of the contact info for local companies, you can have Gemini search the web to fill in a the location, CEO and other publicly available information of each company. The tool aims to dramatically reduce the time needed for manual data entry. Gemini can also summarize, categorize and create charts with prompts alone.

You can also chat with Gemini in Sheets and have it scour your raw data to make custom reports and charts. No need for pivot tables if they confound you as much as they baffle me. One of the biggest uses of AI at work is helping create presentations.

In Google Slides, you can now tell Gemini in natural language what you want to appear on a slide, and it will create it, matching the style of your existing slides. You can also ask Gemini to edit your slides if you don’t want to waste time painstakingly moving design elements around the slide. The AI should fill the slides with relevant information based on your instructions and the work files it has access to, so you shouldn’t need to replace a bunch of filler text.

If you use Docs, Sheets and Slides through the Workspace account of your company, then you won’t be able to turn off AI features individually. The managing company is in control of AI access for users. Personal users can tweak their settings to limit Gemini. The new features are rolling out in beta now, in English only, to Google AI Ultra and Pro subscribers in the US, as well as some Google Workspace customers who are part of the Gemini Alpha testing program.

For more, check out the new cowork feature in Copilot and how to use Perplexity AI for deep research.

Technologies

Nintendo Switches Lanes, Sues US Over Tariffs

Mario wants his money back.

Tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump were struck down by the Supreme Court last month. Companies that were subjected to those fees, such as FedEx and Dollar General, have since sued the federal government, and Nintendo wants a piece of the action.

Nintendo filed a lawsuit against the federal government in the US Court of International Trade on Friday, as first spotted by Aftermath. The complaint seeks refunds of tariffs Nintendo paid, plus interest, and asks the court to declare the tariffs unlawful and stop the government from collecting them going forward.

«Since February 1, 2025, President Trump has executed the unlawful Executive Orders, imposing tariffs on imports from a vast swath of countries,» Nintendo said in the complaint.

When reached for comment, Nintendo of America confirmed the lawsuit.

«We can confirm that we filed a request. We have nothing else to share on this topic,» Nintendo of America said in an emailed statement on Friday, March 6.

It’s unclear how much Nintendo paid in tariffs, and it did not state an amount in the lawsuit. While the Switch 2 was priced at $450 when it launched last year, and has stayed at that amount, Nintendo did increase the price of the original Switch and accessories for both consoles. Microsoft and Sony also increased the prices of their hardware and accessories last year due to tariffs.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Feb. 20, the Supreme Court ruled by a vote of 6 to 3 that the sweeping tariffs Trump instituted last year exceeded his executive powers. Following the ruling, on the same day, Trump announced a new set of tariffs of 10% on imported goods that would last for 150 days, starting Feb. 24.

The decision on what to do with the collected tariffs — a reported $166 billion — has been left to the US Court of International Trade. Judge Richard Eaton told the US Customs and Border Protection on Wednesday, March 4, to refund the importers that were forced to pay tariffs, which is more than 330,000. On Friday, the CBP said it couldn’t easily issue tariff refunds because its system requires duties to be recalculated and refunds processed entry by entry. This process would involve tens of millions of transactions. The agency said it’s updating its systems and could start providing refunds by late April.