On Feb. 7, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) announced that on or before March 31, masks will no longer be mandated indoors, including in schools.

Since states across America first started mandating masks in 2020, people have been anxious about the future of mask wearing, and have voiced a diverse variety of opinions regarding whether masks should be required in public settings.

This announcement came as the OHA’s extension of the temporary Oregon mask mandate neared its expiration date of Feb. 8, forcing them to inform the public of what would come next regarding mask requirements.

The new timeline gives Oregon schools time to prepare, and it gives hospitals time to recover following the surge of COVID-19 cases following the genesis of the Omicron variant. 

As Oregon businesses generate plans for how they will handle the removal of the mask mandate, La Salle and other schools across the state will do the same. 

Under the OHA’s new guidance, it will be up to schools and businesses to decide whether or not they will continue to require masks.

Stay tuned to The Falconer for more coverage concerning changing COVID-19 protocols.