Dane County requires masks indoors again

Dane County will require people to wear masks indoors starting Thursday to curb the spread of COVID-19.

An order issued Tuesday requires everyone age 2 and older to wear a face covering or mask in any enclosed building where people outside of a person’s household or living unit could be present.

“We still believe vaccines are our best tool to protect our community,” Janel Heinrich, director of Public Health Madison & Dane County, said in a statement. “But as cases continue to increase, requiring face coverings is an easy added layer of protection to further help keep people safe, including our youngest children not yet eligible to be vaccinated.”

Per Public Health Madison & Dane County, the seven-day average number of new cases was nearly 92 on Aug. 12, up 382 percent from July 19.

Dane County issued a mask advisory near the end of July encouraging mask wearing indoors. Its last mandatory mask order ended at the start of June.

The new order will be in effect through Sept. 16.