Masks No Longer Required In Falls Church Government Buildings

FALLS CHURCH, VA — Masks for the public and city employees are no longer required in City of Falls Church government facilities, including City Hall, the community center and Mary Riley Styles Public Library, the city announced Wednesday.

The city said that mask-wearing and social distancing are still welcome for anyone visiting Falls Church government facilities.

The new policy in Falls Church is based on new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued last Friday, the city said.

The new CDC framework categorizes counties by "low," "medium" or "high" risk. The CDC isn't recommending mask-wearing in the first two categories, except among people who have underlying health conditions that put them at high risk for COVID-19.

The current COVID-19 risk level in Falls Church is “medium,” and the risk level in neighboring jurisdictions is considered “low.”

On Monday, Fairfax County announced that masks would no longer be required in most county government facilities for county employees and visitors. Arlington County said Wednesday it will be making masks optional in government buildings starting Thursday.

There are some locations where masks are still required. By federal mandate, masks must be worn on public transit such as Metro buses and Metro stations and trains, as well as commercial aircraft.

Masks also are still required in health care facilities, including clinic settings managed by the Fairfax County Health Department and the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board..

Mask-wearing became optional in Falls Church City Public Schools on Feb. 14.