By Katherine Jones
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
People in Baltimore City will no longer be required to wear face coverings while outdoors unless they are attending outdoor events like sports games and concerts, Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced Friday.
In addition, Scott said in-person college commencement ceremonies may resume for the 2021 school year.
The updated mask order lines up with the new Maryland State Order issued by Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday, along with the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines released about mask wearing for those who are vaccinated.
“The CDC’s latest guidance demonstrates the clear benefits of being vaccinated for Baltimore City residents,” Scott said.“By getting vaccinated, we can start returning to pre-pandemic activities, beginning with being outside without a face covering.”
Baltimore City residents are still encouraged to be mindful of their activities and how it may contribute to the spread of the virus, said Dr. Dzirasa.
Those who are unvaccinated are encouraged to still wear a mask outdoors to prevent the spread of disease. It is also still required for residents to still wear a mask indoors and on public transportation.
“Although we are still in the midst of a global pandemic, today’s announcement marks the beginning of a new chapter in Baltimore’s response,” said City Health Commissioner Letitia Dzirasa, who accompanied Scott at a press conference.“And increasing our vaccination rate will be the key to lifting further restrictions.”
Former Baltimore City Health Commissioner Leana Wen wrote an opinion piece about the new CDC guidelines for vaccinated people and what they should consider when choosing what activities to resume to normally.
“For vaccinated people, consider three factors when deciding which activities to bring back to your lives,” Dr. Wen tweeted on Friday. “1) Medical risk of your household, 2) Personal risk tolerance (more on this soon), 3) Risk of specific activities.”
When reached out to discuss her thoughts further, Wen was unavailable.
Along with the new mask guidelines, Scott announced an exception to the current Baltimore Executive Order that will allow Baltimore-area universities and colleges to hold commencement and graduation ceremonies for the 2021 year.
These commencement and graduation ceremonies must follow public health guidelines developed by the Baltimore City Health Department to keep families, students and faculty safe from COVID-19.
“The Baltimore City Health Department has been engaged in conversation with local colleges and universities to assist with planning for outdoor commencements,” Dzirasa said. “These guidelines will ensure that the 2021 graduation season is both celebratory and safe.”
All Baltimore City universities and colleges that plan on having commencement and graduation ceremonies must hold them in large outdoor venues, such as Camden Yards, at 25% capacity.
They must also maintain social distancing, require masks, and provide a sign-in or ticketing mechanism that tracks participants and guests for contact tracing purposes.
Prior to Scott’s exemption to the executive order, Loyola University President Brian F. Linnane, S.J. announced in a statement last Tuesday that the university will be holding its commencement ceremony for both 2020 and 2021 graduates at M&T Bank Stadium on May 22 to follow proper Baltimore City guidelines.
The university said dates and plans were subject to change due to continuously changing health guidelines. Since their initial update last Tuesday, Loyola has not announced any change of plans following Scott’s announcement.
“Our students deserve the opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments after pushing through an incredibly challenging, unprecedented year,” Scott said. “I thank Commissioner Dzirasa for working closely with our colleges and universities to develop a plan that allows students, faculty and families to commemorate this important milestone in person.”