Washington Says New COVID-19 Variants Won’t Trigger Stricter Mask Mandates

(Seattle, WA) — Washington state health officials say the emergence of new COVID-19 variants won’t trigger the return of strict masking mandates. The state Department of Health announced yesterday it has no plans to issue more stringent mask requirements in response to the delta variant and other more contagious variants. Meanwhile, state health secretary Dr. Umair Shah says unvaccinated individuals should continue to wear masks in public indoor settings. People who are fully vaccinated are asked to continue wearing masks in schools, health care settings and public transportation.