News & Politics

Most DC Councilmembers Think That Ending DC’s Indoor Mask Mandate Is “Ahead of the Science”

The White House will keep its own mask policy in place.

Photo via iStock.

On Tuesday, DC mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the city’s indoor mask mandate would be lifted on Monday, November 22. But yesterday, several DC councilmembers voiced their opposition to the policy reversal in a letter to Bowser, calling her decision “ahead of the science.”

The ten councilmembers—including Chairman Phil Mendelson and three at-large representatives—cited rising transmission levels in neighboring Montgomery County, which will reinstate its mandate this Saturday. They note that children aged 5 to 11, who were eligible for vaccines less than two weeks ago, would not be considered fully vaccinated for several more weeks. And they point out that the White House will continue with indoor masking. In a briefing on Wednesday, Deputy Press Secretary Chris Meagher said that the White House “is following the CDC guidance, especially when it comes to workspaces, and we’ll keep our masks on.”

The only councilmembers who didn’t sign on to the letter are Ward 2’s Brooke Pinto, Ward 6’s Charles Allen, and at-large councilmember Christina Henderson.

Here’s what other people are saying:

https://twitter.com/ninazm_21/status/1461046228075040768