Palm Springs Extends Indoor Mask Mandate

Palm Springs has decided to keep mask mandates temporarily in place as the state mask mandate expiration approaches. Proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test is still required in restaurants in bars. City staff says case number declines haven’t been as significant as the county’s rates. While many support the city’s masking guidelines, some businesses are worried locals or tourists won’t be aware of the city’s decision "I wish we were able to abide by the same mandates as the state," manager of Only in Palm Springs Rich Conway said. "It’s confusing to our customers who have come from out of town and don’t know that Palm Springs is separate from California." Other businesses, like those in Palm Desert, are looking forward to the expiration. "As the temperatures rise here in the valley, a lot of clients we have here are out of state or out of the country," Patrick Parkey, manager of 120% Lino, explained. "It’s a little easier for them to shop when it’s not 125 degrees and we have to wear masks, so we are looking forward to it." The Palm Springs City Council says they hope cases continue to decline over the next few weeks and can align with the state guidelines soon.