Face coverings made optional ahead of Joe Biden’s State Of The Union address

The change ahead of the speech will avoid a potential disruptive display of national tensions and frustration as Mr Biden tries to nudge the country to move beyond the pandemic

The US Capitol dome is seen through a security fence put in place in preparation for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington (Patrick Semansky/AP)

Face coverings are now optional for President Joe Biden’s State Of The Union address on Tuesday, as Congress is lifting its mask requirement on the House floor after federal regulators eased guidelines last week in a rethinking of the nation’s strategy to adapt to living with a more manageable Covid-19.

Congress’ Office of the Attending Physician announced the policy change on Sunday, lifting a requirement that has been in place for much of the past two years and had become a partisan flashpoint on Capitol Hill.