As COVID cases rise, it's unclear whether another mask mandate will be put in place in Oregon and Washington As COVID-19 cases begin to rise again and the threat of the delta variant looms, many are asking if mask wearing will become mandatory again. Author: Pat Dooris Updated: 7:21 PM PDT July 21, 2021 PORTLAND, Oregon — Less than a month after Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee dropped nearly all COVID-19 restrictions for people who are fully vaccinated, case numbers are on the rise again. Earlier this month, Los Angeles County in California once again started requiring people to wear masks indoors in public places, vaccinated or not.