City of St. Louis Board of Aldermen Renews City’s Mask Mandate

Earlier this afternoon, the City of St. Louis Board of Aldermen unanimously passed (en banc) Resolution #154, extending the health and safety measure requiring masks to be worn in indoor public spaces in the City of St. Louis for anyone age five (5) and older. The action by the Board, the duly elected legislative body of the City of St. Louis, adopts Health Commissioner’s Order #6, which takes effect on December 23. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that wearing masks can slow the spread of COVID-19 when worn consistently and correctly by people in public settings and when masks are used along with other preventive measures. These other measures include getting vaccinated against COVID-19, social distancing, frequent handwashing, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces. Vaccination against COVID-19 is available for all individuals age 5 and above, and St. Louis residents can visit the Department of Health's COVID-19 Vaccine Information website or vaccines.gov to find vaccination opportunities near them. 

The City of St. Louis is currently seeing its highest virus transmission since last January, when vaccines were only available to the most vulnerable populations. Colder temperatures and increased gatherings due to recent holidays may be contributors to these higher numbers, calling for the need to continue to follow COVID-19 safety measures, including masking.