Accelerating Its Timeline, Oregon Will Lift Its Mask Mandate By ...

Skip to main contentApp IconGet ourAppApp IconAppThe homepageEaterEater logoCurrent eater city: Portland, ORNavigation DrawercloseCloseSearch

• MapMaps
• VideoWatch
• App

• Openings
• Closings
• Restaurant News
• Map & Guides
• Neighborhoods
• PunchExternal Link
• ThrillistExternal Link
• Gastropod
• Newsletters
• All Coverage

Visit another Eater city siteAtlantaAustinBostonCarolinasChicagoDallasDenverDetroitHoustonLas VegasLos AngelesMiamiNashvilleNew OrleansNew YorkPhiladelphiaPhoenixPortland, ORSan DiegoSan FranciscoSeattleTwin CitiesWashington, D.C.Eater.com

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Youtube
• RSS

EaterEater logoAccelerating Its Timeline, Oregon Will Lift Its Mask Mandate by March 12

• Eater Archives

Accelerating Its Timeline, Oregon Will Lift Its Mask Mandate by March 12

For the second time this month, Oregon has bumped up its timeline for the removal of mask requirements

by Brooke Jackson-GliddenFeb 28, 2022, 11:20 PM UTC

• Facebook
• Link

Molly J. Smith/EPDXPart OfHow Coronavirus Is Impacting the Portland Restaurant Worldsee all updates Brooke Jackson-Glidden was the editor of Eater Portland.

Oregonians will be able to enter restaurants and bars maskless even sooner than expected. Today, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced that the mask mandates in their respective states will expire at 11:59 p.m. on March 11, meaning by March 12, diners throughout the West Coast can forgo their face coverings in indoor public spaces.

The mask mandate currently applies to all indoor public spaces in Oregon, including K-12 schools; school districts around the state have publicly pushed to remove mask requirements for weeks. When the mask mandate disappears, Oregonians will be able to go mask-free in restaurants, bars, and cafes, as well as schools; masks will still be required in health care settings and while using public transit. Business owners will be able to instate their own mask requirements if they wish.

This is the second time this month that Oregon has accelerated its timeline for lifting COVID-19 restrictions: In early February, the state announced that mask requirements would disappear by March 31. Last Friday, February 24, the Oregon Health Authority changed that deadline to March 19, the same day the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines for COVID-19 safety.

The new CDC guidelines use a three-tier system, based on the rate of transmission and hospitalizations: In areas classified in the “high” category, residents should wear a mask indoors in public; in areas classified as “medium,” the CDC suggests immunocompromised populations ask their doctors about wearing masks in public. In areas designated “low,” however, the CDC only recommends people continue to stay up-to-date with vaccines and get tested when symptoms emerge. Currently, the CDC database suggests Multnomah County is at the “medium” community level; certain Oregon counties are classified as “high.” Oregon health officials still recommend that people in high-risk groups — including unvaccinated Oregonians, immunocompromised residents, those with underlying health conditions, and those 65 years of age and older — continue to wear masks in indoor public spaces.

“On the West Coast, our communities and economies are linked,” Brown said in a joint press release. “Together, as we continue to recover from the Omicron surge, we will build resiliency and prepare for the next variant and the next pandemic. As we learn to live with this virus, we must remain vigilant to protect each other and prevent disruption to our schools, businesses, and communities––with a focus on protecting our most vulnerable and the people and communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.”

• Governors Brown, Newsom, and Inslee Announce Updated Health Guidance [Official]• Oregon’s Mask Mandate Will End March 19 [EPDX]• How Coronavirus Is Impacting the Portland Restaurant World [EPDX]

Updated Monday, February 28 at 5:07 p.m.: This story has been updated to include information about private business mask requirements.

See More:

• Eater Archives

More in: How Coronavirus Is Impacting the Portland Restaurant World

City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Wants to Make Portland’s COVID-Era Patios and Plazas PermanentBy Brooke Jackson-GliddenBy Midnight, Oregon’s Mask Mandate Will Disappear. Restaurant Owners Feel Conflicted About That.By Brooke Jackson-GliddenOregon’s Mask Mandate Will End March 19By Brooke Jackson-Glidden

Most Popular

1. The Best New Restaurants and Food Carts in Portland, June 2025
2. The 38 Best Restaurants and Food Carts in Portland
3. Portland’s Best Brunch Restaurants
4. The Best Restaurants for a Mid-Week Lunch in Portland
5. The Best Italian Restaurants in Portland

Eater Portland

All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you

Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content From

This is the title for the native ad

More in Eater Archives

Oregon for Food Lovers: Everything You Need to KnowThe Complete Road Trip Week Coverage on Eater PDXAn Essential Guide to Summer 2018 in OregonHow To Do Father’s Day Right in PortlandWhere to Eat and Drink This Fourth of JulyVegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten-Free Dining Options in PortlandEater ArchivesOct 21, 2025Eater ArchivesOct 21, 2025Oregon for Food Lovers: Everything You Need to Know

Find the best restaurants and bars across the state

By Eater StaffEater ArchivesOct 21, 2025Eater ArchivesOct 21, 2025The Complete Road Trip Week Coverage on Eater PDX

Remember: No matter where you go, you have to eat

By Eater StaffEater ArchivesJul 23, 2025Eater ArchivesJul 23, 2025An Essential Guide to Summer 2018 in Oregon

Every map you’ll need on warm days, from patios to ice cream

By Eater StaffEater ArchivesAug 1, 2025Eater ArchivesAug 1, 2025How To Do Father’s Day Right in Portland

A compilation of relevant maps, guides, and lists

By Eater StaffEater ArchivesJul 1, 2025Eater ArchivesJul 1, 2025Where to Eat and Drink This Fourth of July

Ice cream, burgers, cold cocktails, and more

By Eater StaffEater ArchivesMay 23, 2025Eater ArchivesMay 23, 2025Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten-Free Dining Options in PortlandBy Eater StaffAdvertiser Content From

This is the title for the native ad

The Latest

Dec 30, 2025The Dream of the ’70s Is Alive in Portland BarsDec 26, 2025Dig Into Dumplings and Martinis at Kachka FabrikaDec 23, 2025Portland’s Premier Sneaker-Themed Cafe Is Closing DownDec 23, 2025Let This Vibrant Ecuadorian Bistro Be Your Antidote to a Gloomy Winter DayDec 19, 2025James Beard Award-Winning Bakery JinJu Is Closing — For NowDec 18, 2025Find Satay Toast and Moo Ping Skewers at Belmont’s Bangkok Belly