Washington State to lift indoor mask mandate

Washington's statewide indoor mask mandate, one of the few left in the country, will lift in most places on March 21, including at schools and child care facilities, Gov. Jay Inslee said Thursday. And starting on March 1, vaccine verification or proof of a negative COVID-19 test will no longer be required for attendance at large events.

Masks will still be required in health care settings, like hospitals and doctor's offices, and at long-term care facilities, prisons and jails. They will also still be required on public transit, taxis, ride-hail vehicles and school buses. Private businesses and local governments that want to require masks for employees, customers or residents will still able to do so.

Also starting Friday, non-urgent procedures — which have been on hold since last month due to concerns about hospital capacity — can resume, since the governor decided to not extend the ban beyond the set four weeks.