Eau Claire City Council repeals face mask ordinance
May 18—EAU CLAIRE — The Eau Claire City Council unanimously repealed its requirement that people wear face masks while indoors in public places.
The city ordinance was initially scheduled to lapse on June 30 but was ended immediately by a 10-0 vote at a special meeting held Tuesday afternoon.
Council members cited scientific data and opinions of public health experts as support for their decision to repeal. They also attributed the reduction in COVID-19 cases to public health measures that have been in place during this past year, including wearing face masks.
"We certainly aren't at the end, but we got through this," council President Terry Weld said before the vote.
He added that more people still need to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and those that haven't yet should still wear masks in public.
Repealing a nearly identical ordinance covering other parts of Eau Claire County will be be voted on during a meeting of the County Board at 7 p.m.
Actions on the local ordinances are happening in the wake of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updating its recommendations last week, stating that fully-vaccinated people no longer need to wear face masks.
There are exceptions to that though with masks still advised for public transportation, health care facilities, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, K-12 schools and other places where local laws, business or workplace policies require them.
