PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia is ending its indoor masks mandate, metropolis well being officers stated Thursday night time, abruptly reversing course simply days after metropolis residents needed to begin carrying masks once more amid a pointy enhance in infections.
The Board of Well being voted Thursday to rescind the mandate, in line with the Philadelphia well being division, which launched a press release that cited “reducing hospitalizations and a leveling of case counts.”
The mandate went into impact Monday.
The well being division didn’t launch knowledge to again up its reversal on masking, saying extra info could be offered Friday. Philadelphia had develop into the primary main U.S. metropolis to reinstate its indoor masks mandate, however confronted fierce blowback in addition to a authorized effort to get the mandate thrown out.
“The Metropolis will transfer to strongly recommending masks in indoor public areas versus a masks mandate,” the well being division stated in a press release.
The town didn’t present extra particulars on when the mandate could be lifted.
