Chicago now recommends that everyone older than 2 should wear a mask when indoors as the delta variant spreads and the city passes 200 new COVID-19 cases a day, The Chicago Tribune reported.
The move, announced July 30, comes after the CDC recommended that people wear masks indoors in areas with "substantial and high transmission" of the virus.
"We are taking this step to prevent further spread of the very contagious Delta variant and to protect public health," said Dr. Allison Arwady, the city's public health commissioner, in a statement. "This isn't forever, but it is necessary to help decrease the risk for all Chicagoans right now."
The new mask recommendation came down the same day the number of new coronavirus cases in Illinois increased by nearly 50% during the week ending July 30, compared to the previous week. Chicago Public Schools previously announced that everyone inside its schoolsregardless of vaccination statuswill need to be masked when the new academic year starts Aug. 30.