Hartnell Community College to lift indoor mask mandate

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION)- Students at the Hartnell Community College will be able to enter most indoor campus facilities without a mask.

Hartnell will lift its indoor mask mandate at all campus locations starting on Monday, March 21st.

Face coverings are still required on public transportation and in healthcare settings.

The move comes nearly one week after the California Department of Public Health lifted its statewide indoor mask mandate.

The latest state guidelines change the mask requirement to a recommendation.

"Hartnell will comply with any changes in public health orders, including reinstatement of a mask requirement if necessary," Interim Superintendent/President Steven L. Crow said in a statement.

Although masks will no longer be required indoors starting Monday, Crow says they are still strongly recommended for everyone in all indoor public settings, including schools.

"I also ask that we all maintain the utmost respect for one another's personal decisions about mask wearing, as well as for individuals' requests with regard to their own health," Crow said.

The announcement comes after two years of masking policies at Hartnell College and a new vaccination mandate implemented for the Spring 2022 semester.