Beverly Reinstates Indoor Mask Mandate For City Buildings

BEVERLY, MA — Beverly became the latest North Shore community to reinstate an indoor mask mandate for municipal buildings, including City Hall, on Monday, amid "high transmission" of the coronavirus delta variant.

Beverly joins Danvers and Swampscott in requiring masks inside city buildings but did not match Salem's requirement of masking inside all city businesses, including bars, restaurants, salons and gyms, that took effect on Monday.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention metrics, all of Essex County is considered an area of "high transmission" for the highly contagious delta variant.

"As we are learning, people infected with the delta variant carry higher levels of virus and can thus transmit it more quickly and easily to others," Beverly Mayor Mike Cahill said in a message to the community. "The good news is that the vaccines are still doing the job we'd all hoped they would. However, since delta is the most infectious COVID variant to date, this additional layer of protection for everyone is needed again now.

"So, masking by a healthy vaccinated person is needed to minimize your chance of catching and spreading the delta variant to others, either vaccinated or unvaccinated, whether they be close family members or friends, or people you encounter in the community. Because some among us, our friends, family, and neighbors, will continue to get really sick as we continue this shared journey through COVID, a journey we will get through as a community, and we don't want to lose any more people."

Cahill last week was among 17 mayors and city managers who signed on to an agreement to pursue added coronavirus measures amid the delta surge, which include a municipal building mask mandate. Also included in the pledge was to promote indoor masking while in any public buildings, including businesses, and that cities would "at least consider" a vaccine mandate that would require city and school employees to either be vaccinated or submit to weekly coronavirus testing.

Cahill's statement did not address any vaccine mandates but did "strongly encourage" outdoor activities as much as possible this summer and mask-wearing indoors when not with family.

He also encourged more vaccinations.

"To our neighbors who are eligible and not yet vaccinated," he said, "please get the vaccine now."

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

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