Milwaukee mayor encourages vaccinated people to begin wearing masks in public again

Even vaccinated individuals should wear masks indoors or at large public gatherings, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett recommended on Tuesday. His comments come amid a recent increase in Covid-19 infections around Milwaukee and the rest of the state, and as cities like St. Louis have re-adopted mask mandates in the wake of more infectious new strains of Covid.

“This is a tough request to make, because we felt like we were getting life back to normal," Barrett said during a media briefing, according to TMJ4. “We certainly hope that Milwaukeeans will embrace masks once again."

Milwaukee is not adopting another mask mandate, and Barrett's recommendation will not be enforced. Barrett reiterated that while masks are helpful at preventing the spread of Covid-19, vaccinations remain the city's priority. "The best way to prevent the spread of Covid remains, hands down, more people getting vaccinated," he said.

Barrett's recommendation also comes as the Centers for Disease Control revised its own recommendations on masks, calling for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals to begin wearing masks again in communities where Covid caseloads are rising.

Free, same-day vaccinations are widely available across the city. You can find information about how to get vaccinated here. Although vaccines cannot prevent all cases of Covid-19, they are extremely effective at preventing serious illness or death from the virus.