Masks will no longer be required in Delaware courthouses starting Wednesday — following new CDC guidance.
Delaware’s courts were hit hard by the pandemic, forced to close their doors, conduct proceedings virtually and suspend jury trials for extended periods of time.
Now, following new CDC guidance that relies on hospital capacity rather than the number of cases in the community, Chief Justice Collins Seitz says face coverings won’t be required in the courtroom starting Wednesday, March 2nd.
In addition, the court is dropping it’s requirement that unvaccinated employees undergo regular testing — but Seitz adds testing will still be recommended for those showing COVID-19 symptoms, and those individuals will be asked to stay away from court facilities.
The courts have had a mask mandate in place since August of last year, bringing it back after a sharp rise in cases from the Delta variant.
Gov. John Carney lifted his universal indoor mask mandate on February 11th, and mask requirements in Delaware schools will also be lifted March 1st.
Roman Battaglia is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms.
