DC Lifts General Mask Mandate May 18, 2021

On Monday, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced major changes to the District's mask mandate. These changes align the District with surrounding jurisdictions. 

All fully vaccinated individuals (required vaccine doses plus two weeks) are not required to wear a mask in public in the District. Exceptions include:

• Healthcare settings
• Public transit
• Schools and childcare facilities (indoors and outdoors)
• Homeless shelters
• Correctional facilities
• Where masking is required by a business
• District government buildings

Unvaccinated individuals are still required to wear masks but the District will not be requiring proof. They do permit businesses and the outlined exceptions above to enforce their mask mandates.

In addition, the District is waiving capacity limits in most settings on Friday, May 21. The remaining business types (nightclubs, sports venues, entertainment venues, for example) can resume full capacity on June 11.

The changes generally align DC with Maryland and Virginia in terms of mask mandates. Last week those two states lifted their public masking mandates, although some Maryland counties have slowed the changes. 

For District physicians, MSDC is waiting for updates to healthcare setting guidance that we have heard will be released soon. For now, you can continue requiring masking in your medical offices.