Blaine County will require masks in indoor public places following a unanimous vote by its commissioners Tuesday morning.

The decision comes hours after the Hailey City Council voted 4-0 to institute a mask mandate of its own, becoming the first local municipality to reintroduce COVID-19 mitigation measures against the highly contagious delta variant. Ketchum and Sun Valley will vote on their own measures later today.

The commissioners’ ordinance, which applies to unincorporated Blaine County, falls in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations that all people—even those vaccinated against the virus—wear masks indoors. It stops short of last year’s requirement to wear masks outdoors when social distancing can’t be maintained.

Email the writer: mdee@mtexpress.com

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