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Columbus, other central Ohio cities to consider lifting mask mandates in 'coming weeks'

Bexley, Whitehall, Worthington and Columbus currently have local orders in place requiring the wearing of face coverings indoors.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Leaders in Columbus and several other cities throughout central Ohio announced Wednesday they could consider lifting mask mandates in the coming weeks. 

The announcement comes in response to what Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts says is a dramatic decline in COVID-19 transmission rates and hospitalizations. 

If those trends continue, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and leaders from Bexley, Whitehall and Worthington expect “to consider lifting local face covering requirements in the coming weeks,” according to a release from the City of Columbus. 

“Our collective efforts to control the spread of the virus have worked, and we look forward to lifting mask requirements in the very near future,” said Ginther. “As we move from a pandemic to endemic, there may be times in the future when mask advisories or mandates could become necessary as new variants come to our community.” 

Currently, Franklin County’s positivity rate is 14.1% and the case rate is 295 per 100,000. Just last week, Franklin County health officials said numbers are trending in the right direction, but aren’t there just yet. 

Statewide COVID-related hospitalizations reached a pandemic high in January of 2022. During a briefing Thursday, Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said those hospitalizations have since declined by more than 50%. 

Bexley Mayor Ben Kessler added: “We are eager to be in a position where conditions warrant a relaxing of general public space requirements, and as we have in the past we will continue to turn to our public health departments for their recommendations, guidance, and expertise.” 

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