Hawaii will be last state to end indoor mask mandate

Hawaii Gov. David Ige announced he will allow the state’s indoor mask mandate to expire on March 25.

Prior to the announcement, Hawaii was the only state that had not said if masks would still be required to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Every other state in the country has either lifted mask mandates or will do so in the coming days.

Ige cited lower case counts and fewer hospitalizations for the decision to lift the mandate.

“It’s taken the entire community to get to this point,” he tweeted.

While the governor called the trend promising, he warned that a mask mandate could return if there is another surge.

“We will be ready to reinstitute the mask policy, if needed,” Ige said.

The Centers for Disease Control revised its indoor mask guidance, which now allows people to determine whether they are in a high-risk area where a mask is advised.

Hawaii is considered low risk, according to the CDC.

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