Outdoor Mask Mandate Expected to be Lifted on April 19
Hagåtña, Guam – On April 5, 2022, Guam achieved a Low Level of Risk pursuant to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) community-level metrics – an achievement certified by the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) and accepted by Governor Lou Leon Guerrero.
Pursuant to Executive Order 2022-09, this achievement starts the 14-day timeline on gradually easing community restrictions. If Guam continues to maintain a Low Level of Risk, effective at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, April 19, 2022:
- Guam’s outdoor mask mandate is expected to be lifted.
- Individuals will not be required to wear masks in outdoor settings, but are to continue wearing masks in indoor public settings.
- Restrictions on indoor social gatherings are expected to be lifted.
- Social distancing requirements, whether in indoor or outdoor settings, are expected to be lifted.
“Lifting the outdoor mask mandate, social gathering, and social distancing requirements does not mean the public health emergency is over,” said Governor Lou Leon Guerrero. “As a community, we should be proud of our progress and the vigilance we have practiced to this point. It is critical that we continue to ease out of emergency measures to ensure continuity of the operations and services our island relies upon. If we all work together to keep our metrics stable, we can all look forward to the end of COVID-19 restrictions in May, and redirect our focus and resources from responding to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic to recovering from it.”
Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio stated, “As we anticipate easing restrictions, we urge everyone to practice mitigation strategies in light of their personal level of risk, and to continue wearing masks and observing social distancing if you are or someone you are caring for is immunocompromised.”
Restrictions on facilities and activities, including schools, sports, and graduations, will be subject to DPHSS guidance. Pursuant to Executive Order 2022-09, effective May 3, 2022, if Guam continues to maintain a Low Level of Risk, the mask mandate will be rescinded, and individuals will no longer be required to wear masks in indoor public settings. This action is subject to change in the event of an unanticipated deviation from the anticipated sustained reduction in local metrics informing CDC Community Level calculations.
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