After announcing last week that they would heed Columbus Public Health’s advice to lift the city’s mask mandate, Columbus City Council officially voted to repeal the mandate last night. Mayor Andrew J. Ginther signed the legislation, immediately ending the requirement to wear a face covering indoors in the city.
The city’s mask mandate had been in place since last summer. In recent weeks, cases have fallen sharply since spiking in January due to the omicron variant. Within the last 24 hours, the Ohio Department of Health reported only 431 new coronavirus cases and 57 hospitalizations across the state.
As COVID rounds its second year, Mayor Ginther is ready for Columbus to move on.
“I am proud of Columbus residents who fought so hard for so long to beat back COVID-19 in our community,” Mayor Ginther said in a statement. “We are encouraged by the declining number of cases and that the burden on our health care professionals and frontline workers has been greatly reduced. Some in our community including those who are not vaccinated or are immunocompromised may still want to wear a mask in public, but as of today, that is their personal choice. I implore residents to, above all else, be kind to each other as we navigate the next phase of the pandemic, and to utilize common sense to keep each other healthy – wash your hands, stay home if you’re sick and get vaccinated and boosted. Together, we can put COVID-19 behind us. Our best days are still ahead.”
With the mask mandate lifted, Columbus City Schools have made mask wearing optional for students and staff.
Superintendent Talisa Dixon released a statement saying, “Beginning Tuesday, March 8, 2022, Columbus City Schools will follow the CDC, Ohio Department of Health, and Columbus Public Health recommendations to make masks optional in our school buildings and on school buses.”
Franklin County Administrator Kenneth N. Wilson declared that employees and visitors will no longer be required to wear masks when entering county facilities. Wilson added that the county will seek to be “mask friendly,” allowing guests and employees to wear masks as they see fit.
The Columbus Blue Jackets echoed the county’s sentiment, dropping requirements for masks for games at Nationwide Arena, but said fans are welcome to continue wearing masks if they choose.
COTA will keep their mask mandate for now. Federal requirements set by the Transportation Security Administration require face coverings until at least March 18, when the federal mandate is set to expire.
“The TSA requires masks on public transit vehicles, airplanes, trains, rideshare services and other transportation operations,” a statement by COTA read, “Once the TSA requirement expires, masks will become optional for customers and operators on all COTA transit vehicles and facilities.”
For more information, visit columbus.gov/publichealth/Coronavirus-Portal.