US territory Guam lifts outdoor mask mandate

HAGATNA, Guam — Masks are no longer required outdoors in Guam, a U.S. territory.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero announced by video Monday that starting Tuesday, the outdoor mask mandate would be lifted, along with size limits on on social gatherings and requirements for social distancing.

Masks were still required indoors, but the governor said she hopes to lift that mandate on May 3 if low rates of transmission and hospitalizations continue.

Lifting restrictions doesn’t mean the coronavirus pandemic is over, she said.

“To those of you who wish to continue the practice of wearing masks outdoors, and observe your own social gathering and social distancing preferences, whether in your businesses or your homes, I encourage you to do so, based on your circumstances and comfort level,” the governor said.

According to the Department of Public Health and Social Services, there were 38 new cases reported of COVID-19 between Saturday and Monday, Pacific Daily News reported.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Guam did not increase over the past two weeks, going from about 37 new cases per day on March 30 to 24 new cases per day on April 13, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.