Masked up with proof of vaccination and rapid tests at the ready, even as everybody else leaves all that behind. Its been a dizzying few months in Massachusetts when it comes to rules on masks and vaccines in this stage of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Boston is nearing the next stage of its vaccine mandate policyper the citys B Together plan, kids 12 and older will need to be fully vaccinated to enter those places, too, beginning February 15. Were here to help. New metrics for rolling back the rules are here, or theyre on the way. Were moving too quickly. But he is worried some communities might be rolling back these protections too soon. In each of the settings listed below, Persons in Massachusetts over the age of 5 years old are required to wear a mask over their mouth and nose as outlined below: Non-residential healthcare facilities and programs licensed or operated by the Commonwealth, Healthcare practice settings of any provider licensed by a professional board which sits within the Department of Public Health or the Division of Occupational Licensure. Each town has its own specifics around these requirements, so visit the community's website for more information. Updated: Aug. 13, 2021, 8:56 a.m. | Baker said that's possible largely because of the state has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country and testing is widely available. Updated: Jan 7, 2022 / 06:13 PM EST. Statewide, the Department of Public Health is advising fully vaccinated people to wear face masks indoors in public if they have have a weakened immune system, an underlying condition that puts them at risk for severe infection, or lives with someone who is at risk or unvaccinated. As of February 8, 42 of them were allowed to drop their mandates under a state program that allowed schools to qualify for an exemption if they had high vaccination rates. 2 min read. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, Mask Recommendations and Requirements, is. Please let us know how we can improve this page. If you need assistance, please contact the Department of Public Health. Check storefronts and online before heading out without a mask. For people with disabilities needing assistance with the Public Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268. Material from the State House News Service was used in this report. Editor's Note: We have stopped updating this list as of Nov. 23. What about masking rules for cities and towns? As of Thursday, businesses in those communities are no longer required to enforce face covering regulations. The majority of Massachusetts public schools will enter a week-long vacation on Feb. 21, most classes will resume on Feb. 28 the same day the school mask mandate will be rescinded. Billerica: Masks required in indoor public spaces or private spaces open to the public. will have to continue wearing masks at school, Mass. Salem had a short-lived indoor vaccine mandate, which it rescinded on February 8. The omicron variant is coming to an end, well wait to see whats on the horizon," Lowells Health Director Lisa Golden said. Its not that I believe kids, or for that matter adults, should be mandated to wear masks forever, but the school mask policy is premature. Download the latest advisory, updated June 10, 2022:Updated Advisory Regarding Masks and Face Coverings PDF| DOC. 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. community health centers and clinics or other licensed medical/clinical settings that care for patients with acute illness and/or immunocompromised patients (e.g. "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. 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. On transportation provided by the Commonwealths Human Service Transportation (HST) Brokerage system. WESTBORO, MASS. I am all about learning to live with COVID-19, but I dont understand why we couldnt start that transition from a position of strength. Thank you! You can try, Too close to home? Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. As you certainly know by now, Boston opted to make vaccine checks mandatory at indoor venues like restaurants and gyms in January. She can be reached atapatkin@wickedlocal.com. 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.. 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. 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. Use this button to show and access all levels. The mandate includes all indoor businesses and facilities open to the public. "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. A statewide mask mandate in schools is set to end February 28, but cities and towns are free to keep them in place if they so choose, and many of them are doing just that. Download the latest advisory, updated June 10, 2022: Please do not include personal or contact information. For the first time since early August, the Commonwealth reported fewer than 1,000 average daily confirmed COVID-19 cases over the last week. Below is a list of cities and towns where masks are required in all indoor public places: Belmont Starting Aug. 9, masks or face Staff, patients, vendors, and visitors must all wear masks at the following sites: hospitals, emergency medical services, primary care and urgent care settings. The town of Sharon has had a mask mandate since the end of August 2021, but Health Administrator Leandra McLean said the transmissibility rate is still too high to end it. Data from the Department of Public Health on Friday revealed that 5,218,681 Massachusetts residents have been fully vaccinated against the virus. Many of his customers said they prefer the masks to be optional. At least 18. Bostons K-12 students are returning to the classrooms today after school vacation week, officially Mid Winter Break. Updated: Feb 3, 2022 / 11:55 PM EST. You can try, CHARTS: Mass. Masks are optional for staff, patients, vendors, and visitors in these settings. Follow Abby onTwitter@AMPatkin. If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) Dont expect those rules to go anywhere anytime soonyou may not want to relax your policy of stuffing spare masks into coat pockets. It will be up to each business to decide whether to require masks. Dr. David Hamer, a professor of global health and medicine at Boston University, said he understands why some want to ease restrictions, but when it comes to masks, he said the public should use caution. Kids ages 5-11 will need to have at least one dose by March 1, and two doses by May 1. Thank you for your website feedback! Dozens of Massachusetts schools are already mask-free. Updated Advisory Regarding Masks and Face Coverings PDF, Updated Advisory Regarding Masks and Face Coverings, Consejos para Cubrirse la Cara y para el Uso de Mascarillas de Tela, Boletim sobre coberturas para o rosto e mscaras de pano, Avi Konsnan Atik pou Kouvri Figi ak Mask an Twal yo, Kshilla pr mbulimin e fytyrs dhe maskat prej lecke, , Konsedju sobri maskras di panu y tapa kara, , . Boston also requires proof of vaccination to enter indoor restaurants, as well as fitness and entertainment venues. If you need assistance, please contact the Department of Public Health. Please limit your input to 500 characters. Key numbers from the state Department of Public Health show infections, hospitalizations and positive test rates peaked in January and have been steadily dropping since. Board Chair Dr. David Moore said a dramatic increase in the citys COVID-19 cases last week prompted action. WBZ's Suzanne Sausville (@wbzSausville) spoke with health officials from two towns south of Boston: Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App. A lock icon ( Protests outside Boston mayor's house spark debate, Mass. Mayor Wu said this week that its possible we could get into the sweet spot in the next few days or so. Wu has cautioned, however, that if those numbers tick up again, the mandates could return all over again. Note that clicking the link below will block access to this site for 24 hours. across the country lift indoor mask mandates and proof-of . Bracket said business at Purple Carrot is still down about 50% from pre-COVID days. You skipped the table of contents section. oncology, rheumatology, immunology). 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. Masks are optional for residents as further described in DPH Guidance: Caring for Long-Term Care Residents During the COVID-19 Response. This requirement only applies to the worker providing care. . school mask mandate drops Monday, but in some districts the masks stay up for now, It's safe to unmask in many places, says the CDC. 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. But here areanswers to some common questions about the shifting landscape. Dozens of schools across the state are already mask-free. . Mandates Masks required in public spaces, including private businesses. Mandates have come and gone, and in some cases never arrived at all. That includes Boston, Chelsea and Northampton schools. Worcester's Board of Health voted Monday night to rescind a citywide mask mandate, following other communities that have made similar moves as COVID-19 cases decline. Kanton Mathis' 12-year-old son Eric wants to wear his mask at his Decatur, Georgia, school, where masks are now optional . 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. Charlie Baker's recent decision to lift the mask . Abby Patkin is a multimedia journalist for the Daily News. If you're a human and see this, please ignore it. Updated Advisory Regarding Masks and Face Coverings PDF, Updated Advisory Regarding Masks and Face Coverings, Consejos para Cubrirse la Cara y para el Uso de Mascarillas de Tela, Boletim sobre coberturas para o rosto e mscaras de pano, Avi Konsnan Atik pou Kouvri Figi ak Mask an Twal yo, Kshilla pr mbulimin e fytyrs dhe maskat prej lecke, , Konsedju sobri maskras di panu y tapa kara, , . Framingham was among several communities to recently issue mask. Less than a month after the peak of the omicron surge, here's a rundown on the status of mask policies across the region. Data from the Department of Public Health on Friday revealed that 5,218,681 Massachusetts residents have been fully vaccinated against the virus. A MARTNEZ, HOST: For months, the state of Massachusetts has had its sweeping mask mandates for schools, but this week it allowed communities to lift them. Wearing a mask provides protection against COVID and other viruses, especially when indoors or in crowded spaces. Please limit your input to 500 characters. "It's a little too soon to say, 'OK, let's get rid of the masks.' Chan School of Public Health. She also said it is tough having different rules in different places. Residents and visitors are still required to wear masks on public transit, in healthcare and congregate care facilities, among others. The mask mandate remains in place in public places like buses and city buildings. 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. oncology, rheumatology, immunology). A growing number of cities and towns across Massachusetts are rolling back their mask and vaccine mandates as COVID-19 cases decline. Boston: Masks mandatory in all indoor public places, Brookline: Face masks required in all indoor spaces, including businesses, restaurants, clubs, places of assembly, municipal buildings and other locations open to the general public, Cambridge:Masks required in all indoor public spaces for everyone over 2 years old, Canton: Masks required in indoor public spaces when community transmission level is substantial or high, Carlisle: Face masks must be worn indoors in public spaces, Lexington: Masks required for people ages two and older at indoor businesses, houses of worship, and private spaces. Callie Crossley hosts Under the Radar with Callie Crossley and shares radio essays each Monday on GBHs Morning Edition. Finally, mask mandates remain in force on public transportation including MBTA buses, trains and ferries as well in state health care facilities. BOSTON MA. Plenty more have followed since. In Salem, which is right next door to Beverly, the mask mandate is in placeuntil March 8. Please limit your input to 500 characters. My stance is that I think we should move towards a mask advisory rather than a mandate, said Board of Health Chair Anjali Schutt. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Use this button to show and access all levels. 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. One of the things that we plan to do is to bring it before the next board meeting and see if they want to change the recommendation of how we will base repealing the mandate.. Follow us so you don't miss a thing!
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