Inslee Sets Final Day for Outdoor Mask Mandate; Indoor, Schools End Date to Be Announced Next Week

Governor Jay Inslee announced Wednesday that he will lift the outdoor statewide mask mandate February 18th.

Inslee cited projections that showed the state experiencing a sharp decline in COVID cases until early March, when cases are expected to return to very low levels.

"We have not changed, but the virus has changed." stated Inslee, "So now we are entering a transition period."

Inslee will also be removing the statewide pause on non-elective surgeries February 17th.

The governor said he will announce a date for the end of the statewide indoor mask mandate sometime next week.

On top of Inslee's announcement, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal is calling for the Washington Department of Health and the governor to lift the statewide school masking mandate in the coming weeks.

Inslee responded to the request by wholly agreeing with Reykdal and stating that there should be a date to end the mandate set by next week.

"Teachers and students have been doing a great job with masks, but if we can eliminate that inconvenience safely, we should do so." continued Inslee, "That's what we intend to do in the weeks to come."

Reykdal admitted in a letter Wednesday that universal masking impacted students' learning environment. He cited access to rapid tests, widespread vaccination rates, and a much higher infection-acquired immunity within Washington State communities as evidence to lift the order.

Local health districts will still be able to impose a mask order after the masking mandates have been lifted statewide.