The statewide mask mandate ended on March 11, prompting different establishments around Bellingham to update their requirements for wearing masks indoors.
Whatcom Transportation Authority quietly dropped its mask requirement in outdoor areas at the downtown and Cordata stations. For now, masks are still required on WTA buses.
The federal government extended the mask mandate for airplanes, trains and buses until April 18.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intends to develop more targeted policies to go into effect after that date, based on COVID-19 case levels and the risk of new variants, the Associated Press reported.
Bellingham City Council will discuss when to return to City Hall for in-person meetings on April 11, after more than two years of convening in front of a strictly remote audience. Council members said March 14 they would like to see what happens to local COVID-19 case counts now that the statewide mask mandate has been lifted, before committing to a firm date for in-person meetings.
The Port of Bellingham started allowing the public to show up at its meetings at Port headquarters, 1801 Roeder Ave., on March 15. Masks are not required, and the Port holds “hybrid” meetings, meaning that people have the option of attending in-person or remotely, via Zoom.
The Whatcom County Council will hold its full slate of meetings in its chambers on March 22 at the courthouse, 311 Grand Ave., Bellingham. Members of the public can still view the meetings remotely, and those who attend in person will not be required to wear masks. The County Council tested the hybrid approach to meetings on March 8, holding two afternoon committee sessions from council chambers, with some council members in the room and some attending remotely.
Here are the new guidelines for various establishments:
- Costco: masks are optional for customers and employees except for employees in certain departments, like the pharmacy
- Fred Meyer (Lakeway): masks are optional for customers and employees
- Community Food Co-op (Downtown): masks are optional for customers and employees
- Woods Coffee (Lakeway): masks are optional for customers and employees
- Caffe Adagio: masks are optional for customers but it is required for employees
- Little Cheerful: masks are optional for customers and employees
- Black Sheep: masks are optional for customers and employees
- Bellingham Public Library: masks are optional for customers and employees
- Bellingham City Hall: masks are optional for customers and employees
- Peace of Mind: masks are optional for customers and employees
- Trippy Hippy: masks are optional for customers and employees
