Danvers To Require Masks Inside Town Buildings Starting Monday

DANVERS, MA — Danvers is joining a growing number of communities in Massachusetts reinstituting some level of indoor mask mandate in response to an increase in coronavirus cases.

Starting Monday, face coverings will be required at all times inside municipal buildings and offices. The policy does not — at this time — apply to school buildings. Masks must be worn regardless of coronavirus vaccination status.

"This decision was based on the recent uptick in delta-variant cases in Danvers and the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's) recent designation of Essex County as an area of substantial transmission," Danvers Town Manager Steve Bartha said.

The town did not join Salem in mandating masks at all indoor businesses, but officials said in a statement "the town strongly encourages residents to wear masks at all indoor settings outside of their own home, supports individual businesses choosing to require masks, and asks that the public be cooperative and respect any business that may choose to do so."

Swampscott also this week began once again requiring masking in all municipal buildings.

"Masks slow the spread and vaccines reduce the severity of the virus," officials said.

Vaccination appointments or walk-in locations are readily available in Danvers and along the North Shore. Vaccine locations can be found here.

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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.)

More Patch Coverage: Salem Board Of Health Brings Back Masks Indoors Through Nov. 13

Swampscott Brings Back Mask Mandate In Municipal Buildings