'We are in a dangerous period': Cook County again requiring masks indoors starting Monday

COOK COUNTY - The Cook County Department of Public Health announced Friday that all individuals, whether vaccinated or not, will be required to wear masks indoors starting next week.

The mandate requires that everyone over the age of 2-years-old must wear a mask in public indoor settings beginning Monday, August 23.

The mandate applies to businesses such as restaurants, movie theaters, retails establishments, fitness clubs and on public transportation.

"We are in a dangerous period, with the Delta variant surging, during which we must return to previous remediation measures," Co-Lead and Senior Medical Officer of Cook County Department of Public Health Dr. Rachel Rubin said in a statement. "We have no choice but to mandate that people wear masks indoors to help contain this spread of the virus."

This requirement comes after the City of Chicago mandated that masks be once again worn indoors. That rule went into effect Friday.

"As the virus changes, we need to adapt our guidance and recommendations to keep residents safe," Co-Lead and Senior Medical Officer of Cook County Department of Public Health Dr. Kiran Joshi said in a statement. "This variant is highly contagious and represents over 90 percent of our recent cases. We must act now."

More COVID-related information can be found online HERE.