The city and county both previously issued a mask advisory on Aug. 5, 2021. Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts explains recommendation to end Columbuss mask mandate on March 7. Columbus City Council confirmed in a statement Monday afternoon that it will hold a vote for lifting the mandate on March 7. Columbus's mask mandate could be lifted soon, officials say At the low level, there is no recommendation for masks. As of July 18, the positivity rate in Franklin County is 19.8%. To get to the low level, the county needs to have new COVID-19 hospital admissions and staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients be below theCDCs targets. And when we hear about the pi variants, not necessarily a cause for alarm, because we have more infrastructure in place to really identify the variants, said Dr. Gastaldo who has been practicing medicine for 20 years. Natasha is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and has more than 20 years of television news and radio experience. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Roberts said Columbus Public Health has discussed the mask question with Columbus City Schools, but she is not aware of the district having made a decision yet. The federal Transportation Safety Administration is still requiring masks on public transportation until Friday, March 18. Prior to the last two weeks, the state has not seen more than 20,000 reported new cases in a week in nearly five months. But whether it's a school district or a local health district that's looking at this, the masking policy, or the masking recommendations really need at this time to be a local decision.. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Supreme Court has re-implemented a mask mandate for visitors, hours after health officials in Columbus and Franklin County issued a mask advisory in. State, federal and religious buildings have not beenincluded, meaning those agencies and institutions decided their own policy. Only 0.2% of respiratory specimens tested by clinical laboratories last season came back positive for the influenza virus nationwide. The immunocompromised and unvaccinated are still recommended to wear masks in crowded situations, and some areas of the region still require masks. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. "With decreasing case numbers and hospitalizations in Franklin County and across Ohio, we should feel good about where we are in this pandemic, but still vigilant," Council President Shannon Hardin said. How is this not incitement to terrorism?? No. Yes. Dispatch reporter Max Filby contributed to this report. COLUMBUS, Ohio The city of Columbus could soon end its mask mandate after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releasedupdated mask guidanceFriday that opens the door for the city to relax protocols. 614-645-7380, RECEIVE COUNCIL EMAILS 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus mask mandate 2022: Where do I still have to mask? That order is comparable to one imposed in July 2020, covering any indoor building space accessible to the public. So the lifting of the requirement will mean thatrestaurants, movie theaters, grocery stores and other businesses will be able to set their own mask policies. If you have an at-risk condition, regardless of your medical status, you should talk to your healthcare provider about recommendations individually for you on mask wearing indoors in public, he said. Masks are stillrequired, however,on CABS buses, in clinical health care settingssuch as at the Wexner Medical Center, COVID-19 testing locations and child care centers. Masks have once again become an essential accessory, but simply wearing a mask probably wont stop the flu from spreading. Masks in schools: Is your school district requiring masks? Following recent virus declines, Franklin County is at themedium level, according to the CDC. The Wexner Center for the Arts: The venue is looking at its policy and will offer more information in the coming days. Drexel Theatre: The theaterwill no longer mandate masks or proof of vaccination. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. COLUMBUS, Ohio The mask mandate in Columbus could be lifted soon due to signficant declines in case numbers, officials said Wednesday. Columbus City Schools said its mask mandate will end on Tuesday. The advisory however does not require that masks be worn indoors and Columbus Public Health said there are no plans for a mask mandate at this time. Columbus is wearing masks again this fall. Will it stop flu season? Follow her on Twitter @megankhenry. "I think there's science that can justify either decision they make," she said. As face-covering requirements for public spaces are lifted by various local governments, businesses, organizations and venues will have the flexibility to determine the appropriate protocols for their facilities, said Worthington City Manager Matt Greeson. More than 60% of U.S. counties are at low or medium transmission. Learn More. Updated: 6:17 PM EST March 7, 2022 COLUMBUS, Ohio Columbus City Council voted unanimously to rescind the city's mask mandate, with Mayor Andrew Ginther quickly signing the ordinance. The Law Did Not Treat Them Kindly. UPDATED 6:22 PM ET Feb. 28, 2022 COLUMBUS, Ohio Columbus Public Health announced Monday that it recommends the city can lift its mask requirement on March 7. Columbus Public Health. Worthington City Council is expected to vote to lift their mask mandate later this evening. Most Columbus businesses complied with mask mandate, inspection reports show, removed their mask mandates in recent weeks, Get updates on Columbus schools, Ohio State and more with new education newsletter, is keeping its mask and vaccine requirement. The mask requirement in Whitehall was ended Monday. More than 60% of U.S. counties are at at low or medium transmission. Flu season typically runs from October to late May. "I am proud of Columbus residents who fought so hard for so long to beat back COVID-19 in our community," Ginther said. Masks are no longer required in indoor public places in Columbus. It is time to turn our efforts to minimizing the impact COVID-19 has on our health, our health care systems and our community.. Columbus mask mandate is over: What to know about mask policies at facial coverings in all indoor public spaces. Protecting ourselves and our community from COVID-19 takes a multi-layered approach said Columbus Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts. With COVID-19 cases starting to decline, fatigue over mask mandates is starting to grow. The second way the mandate could be dropped is if cases declined significantly. File an Ethics Financial Disclosure Statement, Citizens' Commission on Elected Official Compensation. State leaders have cited declining COVID-19 infection rates and rising vaccination rates as the reason behind the decisions. These experts aren't quite ready. 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In the past two weeks, there have been a little more than 200 COVID-19 cases reported in Bexley. Wearing a mask and testing if youre sick also will help slow down the spread.. By, Classical 101 Playlist & Program Schedule, Omicron BA.5 variant driving up summer increase in new Ohio cases, A new patch fixes contact tracing vulnerability on smartphones. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. Here's how you can get started, Columbus doctor, parent weighs in on mask debate, Ohio State reopening concessions at athletic events, relaxing other pandemic restrictions. The requirement was implemented in September in response to rising cases. The reality is we're in a period of transition. Columbus City Council was one of the last school districts to require masks, a rule that ended Tuesday. 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Columbus mulls end to mask mandate after CDC eases guidance New CDC map shows Greater Columbus mostly medium COVID risk, masks may @ColumbusCouncil voted to lift this requirement based on new CDC mask guidelines & public health recommendations. Mask Order in Response to Rising COVID-19 Infections. COVID-19 Community Levels and Masking Requirements by Location Indoor mask mandate: When will Columbus lift its mask order? School mask requirements are also still up to individual school boards. Yes. Most Columbus-area schools have removed their mask mandates in recent weeks. Columbus officially ends its COVID-19 mask mandate He disputed the idea that masking rules ought to be loosened based on the omicron variant being less severe than previous strains. What You Need To Know Recent virus trends prompted officials to discuss easing restrictions Masks have been required indoors in Columbus since September Columbus' mask mandate had covered all indoor public spaces in city limits and applied to everyone, regardless of vaccination status. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The lifting of local mask mandates comes as states across the country also consider pulling back their requirements, including both New York and New Jersey. Red Herring Theater Company:Masks will become optional March 24 with the opening of the play Dancing Lessons, the companys next production. We appreciate the latest insights from health officials who have helped our communities navigate this challenging pandemic.. violation of the order are subject to a civil citation and fine, enforced by Columbus' mask mandates may be lifted soon The TSA requirement also applies to airports and airplanes. School mask requirements are also still up to individual school boards. For the mask order to fall off,Franklin County would need to reach the CDC's yellow moderate transmissions category for four straight weeks. The Ohio Department of Health reported 26,610 cases during the seven-day period ending Thursday. The immunocompromised and unvaccinated are still recommended to wear masks in crowded situations, and some areas of the region still require masks. The ordinance requires residents over the age of three to wear Health experts are also concerned about seeing a rebound in flu cases this year since people didnt get exposed to the flu variants last year. A spokesperson for the city of Columbus told 10TV Franklin County is still in the CDCs red category for high community transmission. Nationwide Arena andValue City Arenawill continue to follow local and Ohio State University mandates. Columbus last had a mask mandate in place from September 2021 until March 2022. We are naive to think we are not going to have flu this year, Gastaldo said. > Parks> Golf> Hiking and Biking Trails> Events> Summer Fun Guide, > Events> Things To Do> Neighborhoods> Hotels> Restaurants> Visitor Maps, > Nicholas J. Bankston> Lourdes Barroso de Padilla > Mitchell J. More education news: Get updates on Columbus schools, Ohio State and more with new education newsletter. According toWBNS-10TV, Worthington's mask requirement will lift Thursday. At the low level, there is no recommendation for masks. Yes. Red Herring Theater Company: Masks will become optional March 24 with the opening of the play Dancing Lessons, the companys next production. Vanderhoff explained, while the numbers are declining, the state is not out of the woods yet. COVID is at its worst. Mask mandates aren't coming back. Why? Recently, the CDC did change their public masking recommendations for the public, and they basically come out with a color code system. Columbus isnt the only Ohio city to require masks. Despite the CDCs new guidance, he said Columbus should not relax its requirement. For sure I think as numbers decrease, and hopefully as we see that being a long-term trend, I would imagine that people would become frustrated with it, said Bexley Mayor Ben Kessler. Example video title will go here for this video. Dont make everybody else wear a mask.. Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse and Grandview Theater and Drafthouse: Mask mandates have ended. Most Columbus-area schools have removed their mask mandates in recent weeks. Now, the COVID-19 vaccine is readily available in Columbus and many previous restrictions have been lifted, except the mask mandate causing people to return to normal activities, Roberts said. [COLUMBUS, OH] In response to the rise of the delta variant of COVID-19, on Monday, September 13, 2021, Council passed ordinance 2388-2021, directing residents to wear facial coverings or masks in indoor public spaces. Other cities like Bexley and Whitehall enacted similar mandates to help slow the spread. Columbus City Council votes to end mask requirement | 10tv.com the first violation, a $500 fine for the second violation and a $1,000 fine for Columbus Public Health. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Yes. To do that, the positive COVID testing rate in Franklin County would need to fall between 5% and 7.99%, and there could only be49 or fewer cases per 100,000 residents, according toColumbus Public Health spokeswoman Kelli Newman. However, the Ohio Health physician said he expects another COVID variant to come on the scene. That includes: It depends on the venue, and the performer, who can still make their own rules at most venues. We continue to emphasize that the vaccine and boosters are the best tool we have in the fight against COVID-19 and encourage all who are eligible to get vaccinated.. Fast forward to February 2022, Vanderhoof said those hospitalizations have since declined by more than 50%. During the past three seasons prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of specimens testing positive for flu peaked between about 26% and 30%, according to the CDC. This action replaced the executive order issued by Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. . The worst COVID surge in history, with more patients in the hospital and more patients dying than ever, occurred during omicron here in the last two to three months, Herbert said. On Feb. 16, the mayors office announced that mask requirements could be lifted in the coming weeks if virus levels continue to decline, sharing the update after a meeting with officials who represent Bexley, Whitehall and Worthington. If you want a pest-free patio this spring, the most important thing you can do is take away those elements that bugs find desirable. COLUMBUS, Ohio States across the country are easing their mask mandates for indoor settings as coronavirus cases nationwide have slowed down. .style1 { text-align: center; }, Returning The Wexner Center for the Arts:The venue is looking at its policy and will offer more information in the coming days. A sign requiring masks as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus is posted on a store front in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. As we prepare to adjust restrictions, we continue to support our educational leaders and recognize that classroom restrictions may vary from public space restrictions due to the unique challenges or maintaining a safe and inclusive learning and teaching environment," Whitehall Mayor Kim Maggard said. Bexley City Councillifted its mask mandatelast week.