CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – County Executive Armond Budish has signed an Executive Order requiring masks be worn in all Cuyahoga County government buildings, regardless of vaccination status, effective Wednesday, June 1, 2022.

Cuyahoga County has been identified as having a “high” community level of COVID-19 based on cases and hospitalizations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The COVID-19 community level is determined by three indicators: (1) new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population in the last 7 days; (2) percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with confirmed COVID-19 (7-day average); and (3) new COVID-19 cases per 100,00 population in the last 7 days. Cuyahoga County has an average of 366 cases per day, reported as of May 30th, which is above the 200-case threshold to be labeled as having a “high” community level of COVID-19. Therefore, the CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors.

Visitors and employees are asked to wear face coverings while in a County-owned building, keep a distance of at least six feet apart from others, and allow no more than four people in an elevator at a time.

“COVID-19 cases are increasing again in Cuyahoga County, and we do not want to get back to where we were in December of last year,” said County Executive Armond Budish. “I know nobody wants to go back to mask mandates, but this executive order is a necessary measure to help keep both visitors to our buildings and our employees better protected against the virus. The best way to beat COVID is by getting vaccinated, so I encourage residents that are still unvaccinated to get the shot and stay up to date on boosters. This will better protect you, your loved ones, and the community. We will overcome this virus together.”