Philly Mask Mandate Returns: When, Where You Need Them, And More

PHILADELPHIA — Next week, Philadelphia will once again have an indoor mask mandate.

Officials Monday said due to rising cases in the city, the indoor mask mandate will go into effect on Monday, April 18.

So what does that mean?

The city Monday will shift to the second-least restrictive of its four-tiered coronavirus response system.

That tier is called "mask precautions."

Under this tier, masks are required for indoor public spaces. Vaccination requirements are waved under "mask precautions."

This means when going into restaurants, grocery stores, retail shops, event spaces, and even the Wells Fargo Center, you'll need to wear a mask.

Masks are not required in outdoor settings under the tier.

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole said the week's notice will allow residents and businesses to prepare for the mandate's return.

She encouraged businesses in the city to break out signage regarding mask requirements once again and to discuss the mandate's reinstatement with employees ahead of its return.

"I'm also asking each of you, the residents of Philadelphia, to dig out your masks again," she said. "Make sure you have them when you leave the house and start getting back into the habit of wearing them when you're indoors in public places."

"Mask precautions" is declared when three of the following are true:

• Average new cases per day is less than 225 (this is approximately the cut-off between CDC's "high" and "substantial" levels of transmission).
• Hospitalizations are under 100.
• Percent positivity is under 5 percent.
• Cases have not risen by more than 50 percent in the previous 10 days.

Below are the other tiers in order of least to most restrictive:

All Clear

This will be declared when three of the following are true:

• Average new cases per day is less than 100 (this is approximately the cut-off between CDC's "substantial" and "moderate" levels of transmission).
• Hospitalizations are under 50.
• Percent positivity is under 2 percent.
• Cases have not risen by more than 50 percent in the previous 10 days.

Under the "all clear" tier, there is no vaccine requirement for places that serve food or drink and no mask requirement except in schools, healthcare institutions, congregate settings, and on public transportation.

No mandates will be enforced when the "all clear" tier is reached.

Caution

This will be declared when three of the following are true:

• Average new cases per day is less than 500.
• Hospitalizations are under 500.
• Percent positivity is under 10 percent.
• Cases have not risen by more than 50 percent in the previous 10 days.

In the "caution" tier, proof of full vaccination or a negative test results from a lab or administered onsite is required to eat indoors in addition to indoor masking.

Extreme Caution

This will be declared when three of the following are true:

• Average new cases per day is 500 or more.
• Hospitalizations are 500 or more.
• Percent positivity is 10 percent or more.
• Cases have risen by more than 50 percent in the previous 10 days

"Extreme caution" means only proof of full vaccination is accepted to eat and drink indoors; negative test results will not be sufficient to do so. Masking will be required indoors, as well.

"I suspect that this wave will be smaller than the one we saw in January," Bettigole said. "But if we wait to put our masks back on, we'll have lost our chance to stop the wave."

Bettigole said the mandate's return is no cause to panic or avoid activities residents enjoy.