Delaware Gov. John Carney Announces End of Indoor Mask Mandate

Delaware, one of the handful of states that still has a mask mandate in place two years after the start of the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, will end the rule this week, Gov. John Carney (D) announced Monday.

According to the governor, the statewide indoor mask mandate, which requires individuals kindergarten aged and up to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status, will end Friday, February 11. However, the school mask mandate will not end for nearly two more months, expiring March 31, 2022.

According to the state’s website, the governor’s decision to extend the school mask requirement “gives parents time to get their school-age children vaccinated before the expiration of the statewide requirement.”

“The March 31 date also allows districts and schools time to consider local mask requirements, and gives the Division of Public Health (DPH) and the Department of Education (DOE) time to work with schools on updates to quarantine and contact tracing guidance,” the release reads.

LOUISVILLE, KY - MARCH 17: A child wearing a face shield and mask stands in the cafeteria of Medora Elementary School on March 17, 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky. Today marks the reopening of Jefferson County Public Schools for in-person learning with new COVID-19 procedures in place. (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

A child wearing a face shield and mask. (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

In a statement regarding the changes, Carney said the state is in a “much better place than we were several weeks ago in the middle of the Omicron surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.”

“I want to be clear about this point – COVID is still circulating in our communities. And the virus still poses a risk of serious illness, particularly among those who are not up to date on their vaccinations,” he continued, urging people to get vaccinated and boosted.

“That’s especially important for children, where we continue to see low rates of vaccination. For all the parents out there – the best way to keep your child in school learning, and to prevent them from getting sick, is to get them vaccinated. It’s that simple,” he added.

Similarly, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) confirmed Monday he will lift the state’s school mask mandate in March.

As Breitbart News reported last week, nine states, plus Washington, DC, still had mask mandates in place, including California, Delaware, New York, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, and Oregon.

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