Mask Mandate To End Monday for All Mainers, Vaccinated or Not

Governor Janet Mills will drop the mask mandate on Monday, for all Mainers, but businesses can still require them.

In the original decision, signed on May 14, Mills dropped the mask mandate for all vaccinated Mainers, adding a recommendation that anyone who has not been fully vaccinated continue to cover their faces. Obviously, this presents a challenge because there's really no way to know if someone is vaccinated or not. So, on Wednesday, Mills signed an executive order which clarifies that the mask mandate will be dropped for all Mainers on Monday, May 24. While the recommendation is still in place that non-vaccinated people wear face coverings, it's not mandated.

The only exception to the order is for children, age 5 and over, in school and childcare settings. They will still be required to wear face coverings when they gather indoors with others for class, day care, etc.

Now, before you ditch the mask Monday morning and head to the grocery store, know that it's still up to each individual business whether they want to allow customers in without masks. Mills said businesses could still require their employees and/or customers to wear face coverings. However, it is no longer mandated by the state. Businesses are allowed to ask for proof of vaccination, if they wish.

The best practice, in the coming weeks, is likely to keep a mask with you at all times, even if you plan to stop wearing it on a day-to-day basis. Until you get used to whether your local vendors are also going to drop their mask requirements, it's probably best to be prepared.