File photo
File photo
On May 22, the City of Little Rock will end its mask mandate based on information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The decision was made based on new guidance that said fully vaccinated people no longer needed to wear masks, KARK News reported. Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. posted a statement on Facebook to herald the announcement.
"#UniteLR— With the new CDC mask guidance released yesterday, City of Little Rock, AR - Government will be terminating our mask mandate effective Saturday," Scott said in a May 14 Facebook post. "The City will continue to promote vaccination to all Little Rock residents who are able to receive it."
The mayor did point out that private businesses and other entities including hospitals and churches could still choose to maintain health measures to protect themselves and patrons if they chose to do so.
Scott added that city buildings would continue to require visitors to wear masks. Outdoor city property such as parks, however, will not require visitors to wear masks.
"Together, we have saved lives and kept each other well; we should be proud of the steps taken collectively to protect our city's health," Scott concluded.
In April, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed legislation that will prohibit further mask mandates. The bill will go into effect in late July.
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