Dubuque Mayor Roy Buol Clarifies the Repeal of the City’s Mask Mandate

Following a special meeting and vote late yesterday and publication in today’s Telegraph Herald, the City of Dubuque face covering ordinance requiring all residents age 3 and older to wear masks in public has ended.

Subsequently, Dubuque Mayor Roy D. Buol issued a proclamation this morning urging residents to follow the latest guidance for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC updated its guidance last week on wearing face coverings, differentiating between those vaccinated and unvaccinated.

The guidance states:

“fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.” The CDC also stated that face coverings and other precautions remain important for those who are unvaccinated.

Buol’s proclamation states, “Pursuant to Article III, Section 38A of the Iowa Constitution, the powers vested in me as Mayor under Section 372.14(2) of the Iowa Code, Section 7-3-1 of the City of Dubuque Code of Ordinances, I deem it essential that when present within the City of Dubuque all persons comply with the guidance of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal and state laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.” “I hope this proclamation serves as a reminder that the CDC’s relaxed guidance is for fully vaccinated individuals,” said Buol. “I encourage all residents who are not yet vaccinated to get vaccinated so we can continue to safely open our community and economy and have the type of summer we all want to have."

Vaccine information is available at www.cityofdubuque.org/sleevesup or by calling the Dubuque County Sleeves Up! Call Center at 563-690-MAKE(6253).

Although the citywide face covering ordinance is no longer in effect, face coverings will continue to be required in City of Dubuque facilities. Residents are reminded that businesses and other private property owners may require face coverings and are asked to respect those decisions. ,