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San Francisco will partially lift indoor mask mandate

The move, effective Oct. 15, could boost some companies' efforts to bring workers back to offices in the tech hub.

Salesforce Tower in San Francisco

San Francisco is easing its mask mandate.

Photo: 615 Productions

San Francisco plans to lift the indoor mask mandate for certain settings beginning Oct. 15, the city announced Thursday, in a move that could boost some companies' efforts to bring workers back to offices in the tech hub.

The updated health rules will mean masks won't be required in offices, gyms, fitness centers, corporate shuttles, religious gatherings and indoor college classes as long as everyone is vaccinated. Masks also won't be required in other places where people meet regularly. However, this only applies to venues where there are no more than 100 people present.

"This is an important step forward, particularly for our downtown, because it will allow offices to have more normal routines and interactions," San Francisco Mayor London Breed wrote in a tweet. "Our economy is bouncing back, the City feels like it is coming alive again, and this is yet another milestone in our recovery."

Megan Rose Dickey

Megan Rose Dickey is a former senior reporter at Protocol covering labor and diversity in tech. Prior to joining Protocol, she was a senior reporter at TechCrunch and a reporter at Business Insider.

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