You still need to mask up in Boise. What to know — and when the city’s mask order may end
In much of the Treasure Valley, you don’t have to wear a mask anymore.
In Boise, you still do — but Mayor Lauren McLean talked Tuesday about when she may consider dropping that requirement.
Masks are still recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as one of the best ways to help limit transmission of COVID-19. But most places in the Treasure Valley have dropped their requirements for masks, opting instead to “encourage” people to wear them or to stop mentioning them at all.
In some places, it’s not clear what requirements are in place. Here’s what you need to know:
Where do I still need to wear a mask?
Locally, the only place you are required to wear a mask is Boise.
The city’s health order, which must be re-upped by the City Council every 30 days, requires people to wear a mask “that completely covers the person’s nose and mouth when the person is in a public place.” It was last updated March 30.
There are exemptions for people who cannot wear masks for a variety of reasons, including for medical reasons, to communicate or to eat in public. If you’re planning to be in public but don’t meet one of those exemptions, a mask is required. That includes in stores, at the airport and in public outdoor spaces.
Outside the city, masks are only recommended. Central District Health, which makes decisions for Ada, Boise, Elmore and Valley counties, used to require masks in Ada and Valley. Those restrictions have been rolled back in recent months. Now, masks are “strongly encouraged” by public health advisory, Christine Myron, spokesperson for Central District Health, said.
McLean said during the Boise City Council meeting Tuesday that as long as Central District Health has an advisory in place, “we as a city intend, at least for the foreseeable future, to have our mask mandate in place.”
She said that requiring masks matches the recommendations of medical professionals and helps businesses to stay open.
“There’s more certainty when people are out and about in our community,” she said as the City Council voted to ratify the March 30 order. “This is a continuation of what we’ve had.”
In the six counties covered by Southwest District Health (Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, and Washington), there are no mask requirements in place, Katrina Williams, spokesperson for the district, said. Southwest District Health used to provide recommendations based on risk level, Williams said, but the district’s board voted to retire that system last month. The district is still sharing data, but no recommendations are associated.
Idaho has never had a statewide mask order in place. Gov. Brad Little, however, has continually encouraged Idahoans to wear them — they are “strongly recommended” in the governor’s latest health guidelines, and required at long-term care facilities.
Businesses may also require customers to wear masks. In Boise, the city is helping businesses who need assistance in enforcing the order. If a business requests help through the city’s non-emergency dispatch line, members of the Boise Police Department will show up and ask people to comply. Customers who don’t risk trespassing charges, although according to the city’s enforcement dashboard, no one has been cited since December.
Are there other restrictions in place?
Boise also has requirements that people stay at least 6 feet apart from people not in their household “whenever possible.”
But Seth Ogilvie, spokesperson for Boise Mayor Lauren McLean, said there are no limits on the number of people allowed in restaurants.
“There are businesses operating at lower capacity, though, as they work to get that 6 feet of distance in between,” he said.
The city’s health order directs bars, restaurants and nightclubs to follow state guidelines. Those guidelines — which are not requirements but suggestions — say that patrons should be sitting and 6 feet apart.
Boise also requires gatherings of 50 or more people to submit plans to Central District Health and the city to ”ensure the safety of the participants and the community.” Little’s latest guidelines recommend gatherings to be limited to 50 people or fewer.
Boise State University will be allowed to hold a spring football game with more than 5,000 fans at Albertsons Stadium. Previous games with fans in attendance have had to get the approval of Central District Health.
Elsewhere, restrictions are pretty limited: The State Board of Education has opted to allow up to 40% capacity at athletic events for schools. Students in Boise-area schools are largely back to in-person classes after more than a year away as well. Restrictions of the types of businesses that can open have been lifted. While state guidelines encourage businesses to clean often and “provide adequate sanitation” for employees and patrons, those are not requirements.
For more information on Boise’s rules, visit cityofboise.org/covid-19. Information on Central District Health’s recommendations can be found at cdhd.idaho.gov/dac-coronavirus.php. Information on COVID-19 from Southwest District Health is available at phd3.idaho.gov/covid19/.
This story was originally published April 6, 2021 at 6:20 PM.
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