Danvers Public Space Indoor Mask Mandate In Effect

DANVERS, MA —Danvers is one of several cities and towns on the North Shore bringing back the indoor mask mandate for businesses and public spaces amid a spike in coronavirus cases.

The Danvers Board of Health voted in an emergency meeting to approve what it called "a mitigating measure to combat an alarming increase in COVID cases over the last week."

The Board of Health said already-high coronavirus case levels "jumped dramatically" over the four days leading up to the holiday weekend and was "expected to increase more as the results from the community testing events held (last) week come in."

Peabody, Salem and Swampscott are among the other North Shore communities re-imposing the mask order in the past week.

The order took effect on Friday and applies to retail establishments, restaurants, bars, performance venues, social clubs, event spaces, places of religious worship and municipal buildings, or private spaces open to the public.

The order applies to everyone 2 years old or older.

(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.)