Manitou Springs ends order requiring masks

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Manitou Springs is officially ending its mask requirement as of Wednesday, deferring to the state's new guidelines for COVID-19 protections.

Manitou was one of the few holdouts in the state that still had a local mask ordinance in place. The local requirement was announced quickly after Gov. Jared Polis said the statewide mask requirement was largely lifted in mid-May.

Wednesday, the city said in a news release that face coverings are no longer required within all local businesses or within six feet of others while outdoors.

Manitou Springs says individual businesses can still require masks, and the city is "strongly urging" residents and visitors to respect those rules.