Gov. Polis Announces When Colorado's Mask Mandate Should End

Governor Jared Polis announced in a press conference on Monday, March 29, that the current statewide mask mandate could possibly end by mid-April.

During the press conference, Polis also revealed that all Coloradans over the age of 16 will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting Friday, April 2, which he believes will ward off a potential spike in cases.

If Polis' prediction is correct, the statewide mask mandate will expire on April 16 and will be reverted to local control.

Previously, the public health order was set to expire on Saturday, April 3. Polis has had to periodically extend and refine the mask mandate throughout the past year.

According to Polis, without statewide mask rules, the only types of events that will remain under mask guidelines are large gatherings that would bring together thousands of people like concerts and sporting events.

However, he did encourage Coloradans to avoid large gatherings and to keep social distancing for another month or two if they haven't been vaccinated.

“If you’re vaccinated, you absolutely can be confident and go about more and do your thing. But if you’re not, the virus is still widespread in the state of Colorado and across the country,” said Polis during the conference. “You don’t want to get this deadly virus in the final few weeks and months of the pandemic, just as you’re becoming eligible for a vaccination. So let’s be careful, Colorado.”

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