Hawaii will soon be the only U.S. state with a mask mandate

 

 

By Ivana Saric

Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. that hasn't announced plans to lift its mask mandate, CBS News reported Wednesday.

Driving the news: With COVID-19 cases finally declining following the Omicron wave, many states and businesses have signaled a readiness to ease pandemic health restrictions.

- In recent weeks, many states — including blue ones like California, Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware — have announced end dates for their mask requirements and other pandemic restrictions.

 

The big picture: Hawaii has seen some of the lowest coronavirus death rates in the U.S. throughout the pandemic.

- Gov. David Ige last week attributed this success to the state's indoor mask mandate and other health restrictions proving "successful in protecting our community from this potentially deadly virus."

- "We base our decisions on science, with the health and safety of our community as the top priority," Ige added.