Hawaii to lift last US state mask mandate by March 26

HONOLULU (AP) — The last statewide mask mandate in the U.S. will be lifted by March 26, Hawaii Gov. David Ige announced Tuesday.

No states will require masks indoors after 11:59 p.m. March 25. Hawaii is the last to drop the pandemic safety measure, with Washington state's mask mandate expiring at 11:59 p.m. Friday.

Ige said Hawaii's COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations are decreasing. The seven-day new case average is about 140, he said, while a week ago it was more than 300. There were 48 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Tuesday. He said that's the first time the number has been under 50 since around last summer.

He said he expects the downward trends to continue.

Since April 2020, the state of Hawaii has required face masks. At first it was both indoors and outdoors.

Ige said Hawaii's culture of caring for others, especially kupuna, or older people in Hawaiian, helped the state tolerate the mask rule for so long.

“I do believe that we are the last community to release the mask mandate because we care about each other and we care about our community and we are all willing to sacrifice to keep each other healthy and safe,” he said.

Hawaii health officials still recommend wearing masks indoors at schools, hospitals, prisons and other “congregate living settings.”

The end of the mask mandate coincides with when Hawaii plans to lift its COVID-19 quarantine requirement for travelers. Starting March 26 those arriving from other places in the U.S. won’t have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to avoid sequestering themselves for five days.

Ige said these rules have contributed to Hawaii having among the lowest rates of COVID-19 in the country.

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