TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson Mayor Regina Romero has issued a new mask mandate Wednesday for all city facilities, regardless of vaccination status.
The mayor announced the change the day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed their mask guidelines, now recommending that all individuals wear masks in public, indoor spaces in areas with "substantial or high transmission" of COVID-19.
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"Since the start of the pandemic, we have followed the science and guidance of our public health experts," Romero said in a statement Wednesay. "Following yesterday’s changes to CDC guidelines, I have directed our City Manager to require all members of the public, including those who are fully vaccinated, to wear a mask inside of City of Tucson facilities."
The news release from the mayor's office specifies that the change only applies to city facilities and not private businesses or establishments, who can still require masks on their premises if they so choose.
Romero's statement also encourages Tucsonans to get vaccinated.
"The majority of hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19 involve unvaccinated individuals," she says. "For your health, for your family’s health, and for the health of your community, please do your part and get vaccinated if you have not already done so. The vaccine is safe and effective."