Hawaii remains last state with indoor mask mandates

Hawaii remains the only U.S. state that has not announced plans to lift its COVID-19 indoor mask mandate. 

Hawaiian Democrat Gov. David Ige told local KITV4 that he is "working with the Department of Health to determine when the time is right for Hawaii to lift the indoor mask mandate."

All other states have either ditched the mask mandates completely or plan to do so in most settings.

Hawaii, which has implemented stringent COVID mandates throughout the pandemic, remains a stronghold.

Hawaii's COVID portal states that people are allowed to take their masks off when outdoors, eating or drinking or "[d]riving alone in your car."

Cases statewide have gone down 65% over the past two weeks. More than three-fourths of Hawaiians are vaccinated as well.

Domestic visitors to the state are required to self-quarantine for five days, unless they are fully vaccinated. International travelers to Hawaii are not subject to state requirements.

"Hawaii ranks second in the nation when it comes to COVID-deaths, in part because of the indoor mask requirement and other measures that have proven successful in protecting our community from this potentially deadly virus," Ige said. "We base our decisions on science, with the health and safety of our community as the top priority."

Puerto Rico, the U.S.'s largest territory, also has no plans to lift mask mandates, The New York Times reports.