Oakland extends mask mandate in city-owned buildings through July 2023

OAKLAND – The Oakland City Council opted this week to extend the requirement to wear a mask in city-owned facilities through at least July 1, 2023.

The council voted 5-1, with two council members absent from the vote, to extend the mask mandate in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.

The requirement applies to all employees, patrons and visitors age 6 years and up at indoor city-owned facilities and within 20 feet of a city-owned area that is accessible to the general public but is not walled off.

“The science has been very clear that wearing quality masks is a very effective way to reduce the risks (of transmission) both to the wearer and to those they are around,” said Council member Rebecca Kaplan, who proposed the extension.

“Additionally, this allows us to make our facilities more accessible to people with disabilities and people with other vulnerabilities that make them really at risk from these respiratory viruses,” she said.

City Councilman Noel Gallo was the only dissenting vote, arguing that the city should follow the lead of the state and the county, which have dropped general indoor mask requirements.

The council will decide later this year whether to extend the requirement beyond July 1.