Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, narrowed down the state’s advisory to wear masks to no longer apply to people vaccinated against COVID-19.
Under the updated advisory out Tuesday, the state public health department said vaccinated people with underlying health conditions or compromised immune systems that put them at greater risk of severe illness, as well as those who live with other vulnerable people, should still wear masks in indoor public places.
Masks will still be mandatory in certain places, such as public transit and healthcare facilities. The advisory also stipulated that any vaccinated person who gets infected again should wear a mask in public for five days after leaving isolation.
“For individuals who are not fully vaccinated, it is important that you continue to wear a face covering or mask to help prevent you from spreading COVID-19 to other people,” the advisory said.
THE 11 BLUE STATES ANNOUNCING ENDS TO MASK MANDATES
Massachusetts did not reinstate its mask mandate when the omicron wave began late last year, unlike many states in the northeast. Many red states had also avoided mask mandates and other restrictions for months, even before the omicron wave hit and then subsided.
Baker strongly encouraged everyone to mask up when indoors in public regardless of vaccination status. The torrent of omicron cases in Massachusetts reached its peak in early January when the daily seven-day average number of cases approached 23,000. The seven-day average as of Sunday, the latest date with reported data, was 1,589 cases. The rate of tests coming back with positive results has fallen to 3%, down from over 23% the week leading up to Jan. 5.
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Baker announced last week he would let the mask mandate in schools expire on Feb. 28. He joined a slew of blue-state governors last week in lifting masking requirements in some capacity. The narrowed statewide mask advisory does not nullify local mandates. Boston, for instance, will maintain its requirement that people wear masks in indoor public places.
