Milwaukee mask mandate expires March 1; what you need to know
MILWAUKEE - Starting Tuesday, March 1, you will not be required to wear a mask inside Milwaukee's public spaces. But there are different places where you will still need to mask up.
The current indoor mask mandate was a response to the highly contagious omicron variant of COVID-19. Milwaukee recently moved into the "low transmission" category.
However, not everyone plans to ditch their masks indoors.
"I wear my mask most of the time. I also work in healthcare and take care of active COVID patients. I feel like it is more my duty to wear a mask because I am at more higher risk of exposure. I don’t want to effect other people," said Becca Schilling.
There are some places where you will need a mask. Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) riders will need to mask up until at least March 18 – when the federal mandate expires. Milwaukee Public Schools says it will continue requiring masks in MPS buildings.
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"It’s definitely a positive thing that we’re even having this discussion. That means cases are low, hospitalizations are low," said Dr. Dan Shirley from UW Health.
Dr. Shirley said some should consider continuing to mask up.
"There still are certain people that have higher risk if they were to get COVID. That is especially immunocompromised people and maybe the very young who haven’t had access to vaccines yet," the doctor said.
With the mandate expiring, Paul Stillmank has this on his mind.
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"But I can still carry the virus and shed it on other people. I’m really wearing that mask for others, not myself," Stillmank said.
You will also need to continue wearing a mask inside medical facilities.
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