Effective June 4, 2021, Pitkin County retired its local mask mandate to follow state and federal guidelines. Aligning with the state means that fully vaccinated people may go without masks in indoor public spaces unless the setting requires otherwise. Unvaccinated people are encouraged to continue to wear masks in all indoor public spaces.

Face coverings are still required in certain settings for individuals age twelve and older, which include:

• Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated students, staff, and visitors to preschool through grade 12 schools (including extracurricular activities) and child care centers and services, including camps, except while participating in outdoor activities;
• Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated staff of Colorado Department of Motor Vehicle offices;
• Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated residents, staff, and visitors to Prisons;
• Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated residents, staff, and visitors to Jails; and
• Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated patients, visitors, and personnel in emergency medical and other healthcare settings (including hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, urgent care centers, clinics, doctors’ offices, and non-urgent care medical structures) (CDPHE, 3rd Amended PHO 20-38).

Additionally, individuals 2 years old and older must still wear masks on public transportation, such as on buses, taxis, planes, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, and/or out of the country, regardless of vaccination status.

Businesses and other entities may still require COVID-19 mitigation steps, such as mask wearing among employees and patrons. Please wear a mask when asked out of respect.

For more information about the face covering requirement, visit our FAQs.

Is it safe to reuse a cloth mask? It’s not ideal, but cloth masks can be re-used throughout the day if not damaged, damp or dirty. But before you do, read these tips on how to safely reuse your cloth mask. 

• After washing your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, remove your mask by pulling the ties or ear loops away from your ears. 
• Fold the mask in half so that the outer surface is inwards (so that the contaminated outer surface is not contacting anything during storage).
• Place your mask in a clean, sealable bag (example: paper bag) until ready to use it again the same day. Do not leave a mask that has absorbed moisture from your breath in a non-breathable bag or container for more than an hour or so. Always store your mask in a clean place. Never store it in a purse or pocket. 
• Wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. 
• To reapply the mask, first wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, then open the mask storage bag. 
• Grasp the mask by the elastic ear loops to remove it from the bag, and put it back on over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin. 
• Wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Wash your mask as soon as you are able. 

Information Sourced from Ottawa Public Health “How do I wash, re-use, and discard a cloth mask?” & World Health Organization: “When and how to use masks.”

How To Wear A Fabric Mask Safely Video

How to Properly Dispose of Nonmedical Masks

As the pandemic continues its course, it’s important to not lose sight of other pursuits that will aid in the development of the community and environment. Conducive to helping this progression, stay environmentally conscious and make it a priority to properly dispose of nonmedical, one-use masks if they are present and used in your household.

The reason behind discarding nonmedical one-use masks is the simple fact of ensuring the longevity of our environs and all that inhabit them. After disposing of daily waste, it is beyond anyone’s control, besides waste management companies, of what becomes of it. So, as a community it’s essential to complete the following steps for acceptable disposal of nonmedical one-use masks:

• Cut the ear loops of the mask
  • This will make sure no animal gets tangled in the mask if it ends up in close contact with one
• Place it in a plastic bag to place in the trash
  • Putting a used mask in a bag will reduce possible transmission of COVID-19

OR

• Discard it into a recycle trash bin
  • Check your local area for public recycling receptacles

It is easy to disregard these steps but over time the scraps of these masks will build up and perpetually contaminate surroundings and residents. Please take the extra minute to protect Mother Earth.