Public Health Madison and Dane County is extended its mask mandate for Dane County until March 1. The mandate replaces Face Covering Order #6, which was set to expire next week.

Face Covering Order #7 will go into effect Feb. 1 at 12:01 a.m. PHMDC extended the mandate due to continued high numbers of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.

The order requires everyone ages two and up to wear an appropriate face covering in indoor public spaces, including public transportation, according to PHMDC’s website.

UW extends mask mandate, plans to provide free rapid antigen tests

In the release, Public Health Madison and Dane County director Janel Heinrich said despite “incredibly high rates of illness and hospitalization,” Dane County is seeing a plateau in this surge of cases fueled by the Omicron variant.

UPDATED: ‘Large portion’ of omicron cases in Dane County identified on UW campus

The extended mandate’s expiration will end March 1, the same day as the University of Wisconsin’s order. UW’s implanted their current masking order Jan. 7.

All UW students and staff are required to wear an appropriate face covering in any indoor campus space, and UW Police Department is authorized to enforce the order, according to the UW mask mandate.