Montgomery County indoor mask mandate could end by Thursday, officials say

During a virtual meeting Tuesday, Montgomery County Council members decided that the County's indoor mask mandate could end a day earlier than previously expected.

ROCKVILLE, Md. - During a virtual meeting Tuesday, Montgomery County Council members decided that the County's indoor mask mandate could end a day earlier than previously expected.

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The indoor mask mandate could officially end at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.

According to the County, the indoor face covering requirement can end when COVID-19 numbers return to a "moderate transmission" status for seven consecutive days. The confusion about the date arose after different interpretations as to when the first day of "moderate transmission" began.

While all were in agreement that the indoor mask mandate would end Thursday morning, Montgomery County's acting health officer, Dr. James Bridgers, noted that regardless of when the mask requirements end, unvaccinated people are strongly encouraged to continue wearing masks in indoor settings.

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On Tuesday morning. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich told FOX 5 that the indoor mask mandate could end as soon as Friday. Elrich credited the County's COVID-19 polices and said they have been effective and have allowed the County to minimize the spread of the coronavirus.

Montgomery County reinstated its indoor mask requirement back on Aug. 7 of this year, following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's classification for "Substantial Transmission" or when a region has 50-99 cases per 100,000 people in a seven-day period.

Dropping the indoor mask mandate would not change what happens in the school system. Also, there is a chance the mask mandate could be re-instated again, especially if COVID-19 cases increase during the holidays.