How Mask Policies Have Changed In MA Towns, Cities - Yahoo News 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Related:Natick implements a public mask mandate. "We feel we are in a fairly safe position to do this rescission," said Dr. Michael Hirsh,Worcester's medical director, citing declining infections, hospitalizations and test positivity rates. The town is holding that meeting on February 16. '"It's wonderful to see people's smiling faces," said Lenny Marcus, who directs the Program for Health Care Negotiation and Conflict Resolution at Harvard's T.H. NATICK The Board of Health voted on Tuesday to let the town's indoor mask mandate expire Feb. 28, with public health officials citing Natick's falling COVID-19 cases and steady vaccination. by: Melissa Torres. A lack of competition invites a focus on internal politics over the public good. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. Some towns and cities have community-wide mask requirements. Roberto Scalese Twitter Senior Editor, DigitalRoberto Scalese is a senior editor for digital. Mandates Masks required in public spaces, including private businesses. WBZ-TV reports Worcesters leaders are going to ask the Board of Health to rescind the policy on Monday. Natick MA indoor mask mandate to end Feb. 28 - MetroWest Daily News So has Salem, where the Board of Health voted unanimously to end both its mask and vaccine mandates. >> the spike has gone and now we're back to the lower numbers we like toee s repoerrt: so far the cdc is continuing to . On transportation provided by the Commonwealths Human Service Transportation (HST) Brokerage system. The mask mandate for most Massachusetts public schools has been extended into January, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced Tuesday. For Home health care workers, including Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) and Home Health Aides in community and home-based settings where they are providing patient-facing care. Why N95, KN95 masks are so much more effective than cloth, Framingham Mayor Charlie Sisitsky announces indoor mask mandate, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at GBH, Transparency in Coverage Cost-Sharing Disclosures. "It would be a lot easier if we were able to move as a region, but right now the system isnt set up that way. Massachusetts mask mandate decision to be made next week Schutt said that while the pandemic is ending, the war against the virus has no end in sight. Mass. Public School Mask Mandate Extended Into 2022 - NBC Boston She hosts Basic Black, which focuses on current events impacting communities of color and appears weekly on Beat the Press, examining local and national media coverage. "I'm just concerned that there are places that are getting a little bit ahead of the curve, and could inadvertently create a situation where those cases go back up," he said. As you certainly know by now, Boston opted to make vaccine checks mandatory at indoor venues like restaurants and gyms in January. Freestanding, outpatient behavioral health settings are not subject to the requirements of this Order. Bracket said business at Purple Carrot is still down about 50% from pre-COVID days. Less than a month after the peak of the omicron surge, here's a rundown on the status of mask policies across the region. Mayor Michelle Wu has decided they will have to continue wearing masks at school, even though other school districts are doing away with them, per Gov. COVID is still here but we are trending more towards an endemic, which means its always going to be here sort of like the flu., Read More: South Yarmouth Man Reported Missing During Blizzard Found Dead, This comes as news broke Friday that the City of Worcester is considering lifting their indoor mask mandate, which was put in place in September 2021. For example, many restaurants in Cambridge require proof of vaccination. Another Mass. town brings back indoor mask mandate in effort to - WHDH The mask mandate remains in place in public places like buses and city buildings. And hospitals are still full of people struggling to recover from COVID-19 infection. Meanwhile, lots of other cities and towns still require masks, though policies are changing almost daily. For Home health care workers, including Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) and Home Health Aides in community and home-based settings where they are providing patient-facing care. Consider wearing a mask especially if you have a weakened immune system, if you are at increased risk for severe disease because of your age or an underlying medical condition, or if someone in your household has a weakened immune system or is at increased risk for severe disease. April 22, 2022 / 5:45 PM / AP. We dont blame you. By February 15, ICU bed capacity had already dropped to 90 percent, there were 278 hospitalizations a day, and the community positivity rate was at 5.4 percent. With infection and hospitalization numberscoming down, are we finally turning a corner in the pandemic? Two years of the emotional and physical ups and downs of living with the nagging anxiety about contracting the disease. What about masking rules for cities and towns? Mandates have come and gone, and in some cases never arrived at all. Not every school is ready for that just . 2 min read. Follow Abby onTwitter@AMPatkin. And some cities and towns have no requirements at all. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. Callie Crossley hosts Under the Radar with Callie Crossley and shares radio essays each Monday on GBHs Morning Edition. Abby Patkin is a multimedia journalist for the Daily News. All people in Massachusetts (regardless of vaccination status) are required to continue wearing face coverings in certain settings, including health care facilities . Meanwhile the neighboring town of Canton appears closer to lifting their mask mandate. Individual businesses and other facilities may still have mask mandates in place. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. State education officials, meanwhile, announced the end of in-school mask mandates . Keep in mind, these advisories and mandates only come from local governments. Youll have to wear a mask to drop by. In late August, the state announced it will require masks in public schools for students over age 4 and all staffers, regardless of vaccination status, until at least Oct. 1. Masked up with proof of vaccination and rapid tests at the ready, even as everybody else leaves all that behind. The CDC recommends that you wear the most protective mask you can that fits well and that you can wear for as long as you need it. Mayor Wu, for one, is keeping BPS mask mandate for now. My stance is that I think we should move towards a mask advisory rather than a mandate, said Board of Health Chair Anjali Schutt. And hoping for stronger evidence that we have definitively turned the pandemic corner. How Parents Are Finding Baby Formula in Boston, Heres Every Last Olympian with Local Ties, This search result is here to prevent scraping, On the Market: A Penthouse Unit in a Former Boston Brewery, Here's Where to Find the Best Fish and Chips in Boston, On the Market: A Back Bay Townhouse Overlooking the Charles, Here are the 2023 Boston Marathon Winners, The Interview: Crime-Fiction TV Writer and Novelist Dennis Lehane, Careers and Internships at Boston Magazine, Fewer than 200 COVID-19 hospitalizations per day, A community positivity rate below 5%, as defined by the Boston Public Health Commissions seven-day moving average. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. Boston may not be requiring masks anymore, but many say they'll keep Thank you! Were here to help. This map shows the COVID-19 level in each Massachusetts community, according to the CDC's new system. A lock icon ( This page is located more than 3 levels deep within a topic. Knowing which town or city has or hasn't ditched the mask rule may be confusing, which is why Hannah Ritchie, who works in Lowell, will keep the mask on. The state program can take a victory lap after the smash success of Wakanda Forever.. Please limit your input to 500 characters. . If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. It will be up to each business to decide whether to require masks. Only staff and vendors must wear masks at the following sites: adult day health programs, dental offices, speech, occupational and physical therapy settings and other freestanding medical/clinical settings that do not primarily care for patients with acute illness or immunocompromised patients. Many Massachusetts Schools Return From February Break With No Mask Mandate Masks are optional for residents as further described in DPH Guidance: Caring for Long-Term Care Residents During the COVID-19 Response. Effective July 1, 2022, the Department of Public Health advises that individuals should wear a mask or face covering when indoors (and not in your own home) if you have a weakened immune system, or if you are at increased risk for severe disease because of your age or an underlying medical condition, or if someone in your household has a weakened Schools Continue Downward Trend, New Video Shows Moment Floor Buckled on Green Line Train on Marathon Monday, Pupdate on the Adorable Dog That Fell Asleep on Our Broadcast, Popeye's Customers Angry Over Menu Item Trash Worcester Restaurant: Police, We Spent $100,000 on an Abandoned High School, and $3.3 Million to Convert It Into ApartmentsTake a Look Inside. BOSTON (SHNS) - As COVID-19 case counts continue to rise across Massachusetts, including its schools, a decision about whether to extend the mask mandate in . Under Worcester's new policy, masks will still be required on public transportation, in the airport and at some other public spaces. The loosening of restrictions comes as COVID-19 cases linked to omicron have begun to recede. If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) BOSTON MA. Massachusetts doctors are now are recommending that everyone wear masks in all public indoor spaces, but Gov. I seriously cant believe were about to mark two years of the pandemic. Boston's K-12 students are returning to the classrooms today after school vacation week, officially Mid Winter Break. community health centers and clinics or other licensed medical/clinical settings that care for patients with acute illness and/or immunocompromised patients (e.g. Feb 11, 2022 at 1:10 pm ET. The omicron variant is coming to an end, well wait to see whats on the horizon," Lowells Health Director Lisa Golden said. Use this button to show and access all levels. Charlie Bakers recent decision to lift the mask mandate. In MetroWest, some cities and towns have mask mandates, some have advisories and some have no local policy at all. But here areanswers to some common questions about the shifting landscape. Which Massachusetts cities and towns are requiring masks? As of Thursday, businesses in those communities are no longer required to enforce face covering regulations. Doctors and parents are divided about the kids going maskless, but the governor said the significant drop in COVID-19 cases and deaths supported the change, saying, We have all the tools we need to keep schools safe as we move into dealing with the next phase of managing COVID.. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Masks continue to be required in the settings defined below, except for when eating, drinking, sleeping, or as provided for in applicable guidance, and for an individual in a group that is exempt from the Order. Administrator Reports; Beach Water Quality Information; Coronavirus (COVID-19) & Pandemic Information; Emergency Preparedness. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, Mask Recommendations and Requirements, is. Whether youre required to wear a face mask depends on where you are. Masks are optional for staff, patients, vendors, and visitors in these settings. Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. The most recent guidance says that K95, K94 and N95 masks offer the best protection. WORCESTER, MA This was a big week for masks in Massachusetts. This requirement only applies to the worker providing care. Heres a town-by-town breakdown of local mask policies: Note: The following towns also require masks in all municipal buildings. Drivers and other staff on transportation provided by the HST Brokerage system must wear masks. Anthony Brooks Twitter Senior Political ReporterAnthony Brooks is WBUR's senior political reporter. I had just enjoyed eating out in restaurants Id avoided before the mandate. "It's a lot easier to breathe, said owner Alaina Bracket. Im prepared to be an outlier. This requirement only applies to the worker providing care. She can be reached atapatkin@wickedlocal.com. Board Chair Dr. David Moore said a dramatic increase in the citys COVID-19 cases last week prompted action. Things could be changing pretty soon, though, as officials are outlining the metrics theyd like to see before phasing out mandates. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The mandate includes all indoor businesses and facilities open to the public. Learn about mask recommendations and requirements in Massachusetts. But this could all change: according to Mayor Michelle Wu, based on the latest data, the vaccine requirements could be lifted very soon.

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