MEDFORD, MA — The Medford Board of Health Board unanimously
approved an order requiring face-coverings be worn by all individuals
ages 5 and older while at indoor public facilities,
at an emergency meeting on September 7th at City Hall.
The Order will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on September 10
and be reevaluated at the next regular monthly meeting
of the Board of Health. The Board, citing public health data
from the Massachusetts Department of Health,
noted a substantial increase in positive cases
month over month from June to August. Over that period of time,
cases have increased by more than 800 percent,
and only 7 days into September, the City has logged
over 60 positive cases.
“The data we’ve been reviewing has made it clear that
new mitigation efforts must be taken to slow the spread
of the Delta variant and keep the people of Medford safe,”
said Medford Board of Health Director MaryAnn O’Connor.
“I’m glad the board agreed with this recommendation
and swiftly enacted the mask order.”
Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn wrote a letter in support
of the order to board members Dr. David S. Pladziewicz,
Dr. David Menon and Registered Nurse Kathleen Charbonnier,
supporting the mandate and echoing Director O’Connor’s
concern for the rise of cases and the tremendous
risk the virus poses to the unvaccinated,
especially young school-aged children.
“With students returning to our elementary and secondary schools,
as well as Tufts University, and our desire to do all we can to
keep them there, the time has come to re-institute these important
mitigation measures so that we may do all we can
to ensure they remain in school,” Mayor Lungo-Koehn wrote.
The order applies to all indoor public facilities such as
restaurants/bars (masks are not required to be worn when seated),
offices, indoor performance and event venues, hotels (in common areas),
salons, dance studios and places of worship.
Vaccinated people frequenting gyms and health facilities
do not have to wear a mask if they are able to socially distance.
“As with all measures that we have taken so far, these
measures seek a careful balance between the primary
need to protect the public from the virus and the need to
protect our local economy from overly burdensome regulations
that could jeopardize businesses,” Mayor Lungo-Koehn added.
“This order does just that.”
For more info on the City’s mask policy,
visit medfordmaorg/coronavirus-information.
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