Photo courtesy of freshman Addi Woods.

  The mask mandate in California will be lifted on February 15. But in San Luis Obispo, it will be lifted on February 16. Only people who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are allowed to not wear a mask indoors, while unvaccinated people will have to continue to wear a mask. 

  Last summer, the California mask mandate was lifted on June 15, 2021. Many San Luis Obispo High School students were hopeful that the seemingly everlasting pandemic was coming to an end. But the mask mandate was reinstated on July 15, 2021. 

  Can students look forward to a maskless school year or summer? Or will everyone have to wear masks again soon?

  “I feel like ending the mask mandate is a bit of a risk, but at this point it’s like the flu. Mostly everyone has gotten it at some point, and I think it’s a reasonable decision to lift it,” said freshman Kiana Blau. 

  California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly told reporters that masks will still be required in schools, despite mask-wearing being abolished elsewhere. Ghaly said that the California Health Department will reassess this decision on February 28. 

  Everyone, despite vaccination status, will be required to continue wearing masks in high-risk public settings, such as nursing homes and public transportation. 

  Indoor settings with more than one thousand people will require vaccinations and testing, but outdoor events with over ten thousand people will not require vaccinations. 

  “I think that the mask mandate should be lifted in a few more weeks. Considering the COVID-19 case numbers were just super high, we should wait a little bit longer,” said freshman Lily Niven. 

  For now, students will be required to keep wearing a mask at school but can be maskless in indoor places starting on February 16. 

Sources:.kqed.org