Masks no longer required at Phillies games starting Friday

Phillies fans will no longer have to wear masks at Citizens Bank Park beginning Friday as a part of Philadelphia’s lifting of its outdoor mask mandate.

“While we’re going to relax outdoor mask guidance since we now know that COVID-10 is rarely transmitted outside,” Philadelphia’s acting health commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole said Wednesday. “We’re going to wait a bit longer to relax indoor mask rules. We’re going to ask Philadelphians once more to commit to protecting each other.

“You can go to a ballgame without a mask and remember, this is for people who are fully vaccinated.”

It’s one step closer to a return to normalcy around Philadelphia, though fans of the Philadelphia 76ers are going to have to wear masks for at least the start of their playoff run as indoor mask mandates are still in effect.

However, during the week of June 6, the city will review case counts, hospitalization, and vaccine coverage rates and make a call on whether or not they can ease those indoor mask guidance.

If the numbers are trending in the right direction, fully vaccinated people won’t have to wear a mask inside most spaces in Philadelphia beginning on June 11.