Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has dropped the county's indoor mask requirement following new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control.
The CDC on Friday classified about 70% of the U.S. as being at either low or medium risk for COVID-19 based on hospitalization rates and available hospital space. The CDC says those regions can drop their requirements for face masks indoors in most circumstances.
"In areas where they feel that everyone who is sick can get the treatment that they need, then they're not recommending that masks be required in indoor or school settings," said Judge Jenkins. His decision to lift the county's mask mandate comes after the CDC's announcement and after a meeting of the county's Public Health Committee.
"I'm just going to follow the science and do what they tell us," Judge Jenkins said. "I want to make sure our local hospitals and public health infectious disease leads for those hospitals understand the underlying science and concur, and then we'll follow the science."
Dallas County will keep the face mask requirement in place for jails, long-term care facilities, and healthcare settings.
The Dallas ISD had already announced plans to lift its mask mandate effective Monday, Feb. 28.
"Although masks are no longer required, they are strongly recommended for immunocompromised individuals in indoor settings outside of their home, or those who are visiting with immunocompromised or medically frail individuals, including the elderly. Thank you for your patience and courage during the last two surges," Judge Jenkins said.
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