Washington will end mask mandates for bars, restaurants, grocery stores, schools, child care facilities, gyms, and many other indoor establishments on March 21, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday.
“The virus has changed significantly over the past two years, and so has our ability to fight it,” Inslee said at a press conference. “While caution is still needed, we are entering a new phase of the pandemic.”
Local governments still have the authority to choose their own masking guidelines, and King County hasn’t yet announced plans to lift its indoor mask requirement. According to its public health website, the county “will continue to evaluate the appropriate time to lift