HAGATNA, Guam — Face masks to protect against COVID-19 are no longer required in Guam, a U.S. territory.
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero issued an order Monday that starting Tuesday, wearing masks in public is optional, Pacific Daily News reported.
Masks were required to enter public buildings on the island for more than two years.
“Rescinding the mask mandate neither restricts individuals from continuing to wear a mask, nor prevents the practice of other mitigation strategies in public spaces,” the governor said. “I encourage our community to continue to implement these strategies for themselves, in consideration of their circumstances and comfort level.”
The governor’s order said that businesses are allowed to require masks and other pandemic safety measures, subject to local and federal law.
Guam’s outdoor mask mandate was lifted last month, along with size limits on social gatherings and requirements for social distancing. The governor promised to lift the indoor mask mandate if low rates of transmission and hospitalization continued.