Technologies

CDC Mask Policy Change: What Happens to State COVID Mandates Now?

The CDC’s updated guidance for indoor masking comes as Hawaii is set to be the only state still requiring indoor masks for everyone.

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

On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new recommendations for wearing masks indoors to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. More specifically, the CDC changed the metrics it uses to determine COVID community levels, on which its masking recommendations hinge.

While the agency previously measured new COVID cases and local positivity rate, the agency now considers three new metrics — new hospitalizations, ICU bed occupancy rate and new COVID cases. The CDC’s decision reduces the number of Americans living in counties with high COVID levels from a large majority to a considerable minority of less than 30%.

You can look up your own county’s community COVID level on the CDC’s Community Levels by County Tracker. The CDC still advises that people at higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19 take extra precautions, regardless of their community COVID level.

These updated masking recommendations also apply to schools and come at a time when many states and cities are lifting their masking requirements for indoor spaces. New Mexico, California, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Nevada, New York and Illinois all ended their indoor mask mandates in the past few weeks. Many places are also dropping or have announced ends to school mask mandates.

The CDC’s new guidelines for community COVID levels will not immediately affect the federal mask mandates. Americans will still be required to wear face coverings on public transportation, including airlines, until at least March 18. The Biden administration has not yet indicated whether or not it intends to extend that mandate.

Read on to learn more about the CDC’s new mask guidance and which states and cities still require masks indoors. For more, read about out our top face mask picks, the best masks for children and the face mask myths putting people at risk.

What are the CDC’s new mask recommendations?

The CDC still recommends that people in areas with high levels of COVID-19 transmission wear masks indoors. What’s changed is the way CDC determines a high level of community transmission. Instead of looking simply at new cases and positivity rates, the agency is now taking a more “holistic” approach that evaluates the total impact of COVID-19 on the local community.

The agency is now factoring hospitalizations and the number of available ICU beds into its calculations for determining the impact of COVID-19 on communities. As the omicron variant surge lessens and studies continue to show less severe illness from the omicron variant, hospitalization rates have plummeted even faster than case rates.

The CDC has said that people outdoors generally do not need to wear masks, regardless of community COVID level, unless they are in extended close contact with other people.

Which states recently ended masking requirements?

As COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations drop sharply, state masking requirements are quickly ending.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced on Feb. 17 that the state’s mask mandate has been lifted.

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

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

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 public and school mask requirements 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.”

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 still requires masks in certain situations — including on public transportation and in health care facilities and nursing homes. On Feb. 15, state public health officials updated their advisory from encouraging everyone to wear masks indoors to recommending face coverings for unvaccinated individuals and vaccinated persons with specific medical conditions.

Washington has already lifted its outdoor mask requirement, and Gov. Jay Inslee said he will end all remaining masking requirements on March 21.

With the end of Illinois’ mask mandate on Feb. 28 and requirements from Oregon and Washington expiring in March, Hawaii is poised to become the only US state requiring masks indoors.

Which states still require masks indoors?

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

Illinois
Hawaii
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.

Washington’s masking requirements for most indoor venues are slated to expire on March 21.

The Oregon Health Authority has said it expects to lift the state’s indoor mask mandate no later than March 31.

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

For more updates, the AARP has a state-by-state rundown of mask mandates across the US.

Which states have school mask mandates?

California
Connecticut
Delaware
Hawaii
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Jersey
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 March 7.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said school masking requirements will expire on March 21, along with the public masking mandate.

The Oregon Health Authority said the state will stop mask requirements in schools “no later than March 31,” the day they’re 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. Pritzker, a Democrat, has indicated he plans to ask the state Supreme Court to review that decision.

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 on March 18.

The White House has not said if it plans to extend the federal mask mandate further.

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.”

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

Trump Maintains US‑Iran Negotiations Continue Amid Tehran’s Denials of Duplicity

President Trump insists that US‑Iran talks are ongoing despite Tehran’s denial of any negotiation plans, while warning that only a deal or total surrender will allow passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Conflicting statements from both sides have heightened uncertainty as the conflict enters its sixth month.

On Monday, President Donald Trump asserted that negotiations between the United States and Iran are still taking place, even after Tehran stated it has no intention of engaging in direct talks with Washington.

In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump labeled Iran’s leaders “unbelievably duplicitous,” claiming they are lying about ongoing peace talks “whether Iran wants to admit it or not.” He repeated his assertion that the United States completely controls the Strait of Hormuz, despite maritime traffic through the crucial route lingering at only a small fraction of pre‑conflict levels.

He wrote, “Nothing reaches Iran unless we allow it, and nothing will pass unless a deal—or total surrender—is achieved.”

Earlier that day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters there is no imminent plan for U.S.–Iran negotiations, contradicting Trump’s earlier comment that talks would resume Monday afternoon. Baghaei added that Iran’s only current discussions are with Oman concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflicting statements have heightened uncertainty over the peace‑talk process and the broader conflict, now in its sixth month.

Trump’s assertion about new negotiations came a day after he said on Truth Social that he had agreed to cancel a massive strike against Iran “subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.” He said in the same post that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked him to hold off on that attack because “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

Trump has claimed dozens of times throughout the more‑than‑five‑month‑long war that a deal is at hand. No permanent deal has been signed, and a temporary ceasefire reached in June has fallen apart.

Trump has also repeatedly threatened to launch devastating strikes against Iran before backing off. After the latest example, oil prices on Monday fell and stocks surged.

BMI, a research unit of Fitch Solutions, said in a note Monday that a broader diplomatic understanding on reopening the Strait of Hormuz is still achievable this quarter, while raising the probability of its escalation scenario to 35% from 25%, citing mounting military, diplomatic and economic signs of rising U.S.-Iran tensions.

“Diplomatic progress is likely to be punctuated by periodic military flare-ups, while miscalculation by either side could trigger a renewed escalation,” BMI analysts wrote in a note. The firm said the key issue to watch is the future governance of the strait, as the Iran-Oman talks — potentially backed by Gulf states, China and the U.S. — point to efforts to build a post-conflict shipping framework.

Shipping risks persist even as diplomacy appears to be advancing. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles (23 miles) northeast of Khasab, Oman — at the mouth of the strait — with a tanker’s master reporting an explosion in close proximity to the vessel at about 20:37 UTC Sunday (4:37 pm ET). The vessel and crew were safe and authorities are investigating, UKMTO said, advising ships to transit with caution.

The proposal Trump announced over the weekend calls for the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations and continue ironing out some of the thorny issues that had derailed diplomatic efforts, according to The Associated Press, citing a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.

The official said the proposal also includes a reopening of the Hormuz Strait and halting attacks across the region, including by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq on the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan.

The U.S., for its part, will end its naval blockade on Iran and allow Tehran to export its oil, the official said, adding that no deal has been reached, although the mediation efforts remained underway.

Trump’s weekend reversal has lowered the temperature after days of escalating attacks across the Gulf. Kuwait said Saturday that Iranian forces launched a wave of drones within its airspace, with its military destroying multiple aircraft after Iran targeted critical infrastructure in the country’s north.

A parallel track with Muscat is also advancing. Iranian diplomats said Tehran was close to reaching a new arrangement with Oman to manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a deal critical to preventing the war from escalating further, according to the Financial Times.

Iranian officials said negotiations over future management of the Hormuz Strait with Oman, which sits on the opposite shore of the waterway, are in their final stages. The agreed shipping route would be different from those used before, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Baghaei, adding that the new route was separate from the issue of the strait’s reopening or continued closure.

Technologies

Oil Prices Slide as Trump Halts Planned Iran Strike

Oil prices dropped after Trump cancelled a planned strike on Iran, with WTI down about 5% and Brent near 5% lower. He said the move followed requests from Tehran and regional allies for a pause while a deal shaping the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program is negotiated.

Oil prices fell on Monday after President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled a planned strike on Iran. WTI futures dropped roughly 5% to $80.34 a barrel, while Brent slipped about 4.7% to $83.77 a barrel.

Trump said early Sunday he called off the strike after Iran and several Middle Eastern nations asked him to hold off, noting that the outlines of a deal had been agreed upon. He added that the prospective accord would entail the immediate, full opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, according to his Truth Social post.

The president had been considering another round of strikes as diplomatic hopes waned since the conflict began on February 28. He said the U.S. and Iran would meet for talks on Monday, but Iran denied any scheduled negotiations with Washington, citing PressTV. Iran’s foreign‑ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei clarified that Tehran was only discussing shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. In a follow‑up Truth Social message, Trump insisted that, regardless of Iran’s acknowledgment, the United States is indeed discussing a solution to a long‑standing problem created by Iran.

Technologies

Oil Prices Drop as Trump Cancels Planned Attack on Iran

Oil prices fell sharply after President Trump announced the cancellation of a planned strike on Iran, citing a new deal that would open the Hormuz Strait and end Iran’s nuclear threat.

Oil prices fell sharply on Monday after President Donald Trump announced that he had called off a planned strike on Iran.

West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. benchmark, slipped roughly 5% to close at $80.34 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, declined 4.7% to settle at $83.77 a barrel.

Trump made the announcement early Sunday, saying he had canceled the strike following requests from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries.

In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

The president indicated that the proposed agreement would include the immediate, complete, and total opening of the Hormuz Strait, as well as an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.

Trump had been weighing additional strikes amid diminishing prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict that began on Feb. 28. He stated that the U.S. and Iran would hold negotiations on Monday.

Tehran denied that talks were planned with Washington, according to state news outlet PressTV.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was only holding talks with Oman regarding the routes ships can use through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump added that whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused for decades.”