DENVER — The indoor mask mandate is ending.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock announced in a Jan. 31 press conference that the city is not renewing the mandate, which took effect Nov. 24, 2021.
Starting Friday, Feb. 4, masks will not be required to enter a business unless the business still requires them, which they are allowed to do. Businesses are also allowed to require proof of vaccination. During the press conference, Hancock asked that people treat workers at these businesses with respect.
"Let's be peaceful, let's be understanding with each other as we make this transition," he said.
Masks will still be required in schools and child care facilities, the mayor said. Bob McDonald, the executive director of the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) said they are continuing to require masks in schools so that students can stay in the classroom and won’t have to switch to remote learning if they are exposed to COVID-19.
City officials are still strongly encouraging mask-wearing — especially among unvaccinated people, who are far more likely to be hospitalized than vaccinated people — but not requiring it.
Hancock and McDonald reiterated that the COVID-19 vaccines are the best tool to prevent infection, serious illness and death from COVID-19. And because those vaccines are free and widely available, “that means an effective end to the cycle of mask requirements and capacity restrictions as spikes and surges happen,” the mayor said.
You can watch the mayor's full briefing below.
