Just days after Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced a relaxation of mask requirements, Brookline, a town just outside of Boston, doubled down on its more restrictive mask mandate.
Health officials in Brookline and Salem said Sunday they are continuing to require masks outdoors, even after the US Centers for Disease Control cleared the way last week for fully vaccinated people to forgo them outside when they can socially distance.
Leaders in those communities will meet next week to consider whether any changes to their outdoor mask mandates would expose residents to greater risk from the coronavirus, they said.
Brookline Health Commissioner Swannie Jett said he credits the town’s outdoor mask mandate with saving lives during the pandemic. Brookline officials must consider any changes carefully, he said. “I understand that the US and the world have COVID fatigue. We have been doing this for over a year. And we want to try to give people back some normalcy, but you have to do that very cautiously,” Jett said in a phone interview. “And the data has shown, when we start reducing these restrictions, you have seen spikes in our cases.”
These 2 Massachusetts communities are keeping their COVID outdoor mask mandates in place despite state relaxing restrictions
Updated 9:52 AM;
Despite Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker opting last week to do away with a coronavirus public health order requiring that masks be worn outdoors at all times, at least two communities in the Bay State are erring on the side of caution by keeping their local mandates in place.
Both the town of Brookline and the city of Salem chose to continue their outdoor face covering mandates after Baker announced on April 27 that masks would only need to be worn outside when it’s not possible to socially distance and at other times based on sector-specific guidance.
Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel reacts to President Joe Biden wearing a mask outside despite being vaccinated and addresses record-breaking COVID-19 cases in India.
Two Massachusetts towns are ignoring health officials and requiring face masks outdoors despite the state adjusting its coronavirus guidance.
The town of Brookline, just outside of Boston, has decided to delay compliance with Massachusetts state orders to relax the use of masks outdoors.
Brookline is a college hub, with parts of Boston College and Boston University lying within the town, and Harvard University and MIT located nearby. A 2015 study found Brookline to be the second-most educated town in America.
NR Daily is delivered right to you every afternoon. No charge.
THE MORNING JOLT
JOIN THE TUESDAY
GET THE CAPITAL LETTER
GET THE CAPITAL NOTE
We’ll deliver The Capital Note to your inbox each weekday. No charge.
“We are trying to convene as quickly as possible, with the understanding that there are people in town who are anxious to, when they are fully vaccinated, be able to not wear masks when they’re outside,” Maher said.
The Salem Board of Health also decided to keep its universal outdoor masking requirement. The board will convene on May 11 to discuss potential changes to the order.