Mask Requirement Lifted For Fully Vaccinated Residents
St. Louis County COVID-19 Update
May 17, 2021
St. Louis County COVID-19 Update
Mask Requirement Lifted For Fully Vaccinated Residents
Last week, after the CDC updated its guidance on mask-wearing for those who are fully vaccinated, St. Louis County and St. Louis City joined other communities across the country in changing their public health orders.
“Getting vaccinated means all activities are safer,” County Executive Dr. Sam Page said Monday morning. “Wherever you go, you are safer, as are all those around you.”
In most cases, fully vaccinated people are no longer required by law to wear masks. However, people who haven’t been fully vaccinated still need to do so whenever they are in public or around people outside their household. Likewise, there are still situations where everyone needs a mask, like on buses and trains, in health care facilities, and anywhere so crowded that social distancing is impossible.
Businesses still have the right to require all customers to wear masks. “If businesses want to require masks, we support that,” said Dr. Page. “The virus remains present in the community and is highly contagious.”
Someone is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In St. Louis County, the majority of residents still have not been vaccinated. Statewide, two thirds have yet to been vaccinated.
Vaccines are available at each of the three County health clinics every weekday, free of charge. No appointment is necessary. Please click here for additional details on vaccinations sites and appointment opportunities.
More than 1 million COVID-19 tests have now been administered in St. Louis County
County Executive Dr. Sam Page announced the milestone during his media briefing this morning. The 1 million mark demonstrates the commitment by our community to help fight this virus, he said.
“Throughout this pandemic, the consistent questions have been: What can I do to help? What can I do to be safe? What can I do to keep my family from harm? Early on, it was getting tested,” said Dr. Page. “We set up testing sites in North County where the pandemic hit early and hit hard, and expanded testing throughout the county as access to testing supplies improved.”
From the beginning, St. Louis County aggressively pursued testing supplies, knowing that testing was a way to measure the spread of COVID-19 and to help get people quarantined or connected to the medical assistance they needed.
Testing continues to be important. Anyone who thinks they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or who has symptoms of the virus should get tested. The virus remains present in the community and is highly contagious. If you need a test, please click here to make an appointment today.
County Libraries Reopen
All Saint Louis County Library branches are open for in-person services. Customers may enter the building to browse and check out books, return books, use public computers, and use printers and copiers.
Seating may be limited and some staff services, like access to the History and Genealogy Department, are appointment-only. Masks are strongly encouraged.
Those who wish to take stronger precautions may still use the library’s curbside services. Visit slcl.org/reopening for more information.
County Executive Press Conference
This morning's press conference by County Executive Dr. Sam Page can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwvlEdjZ_50.