Framingham To Require Masks, Urge Vaccines In New School Year

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham Public Schools will use a variety of strategies — including a mask mandate — to keep students, teachers and staff safe from coronavirus in the upcoming school year, according to officials.

The district on Friday released its COVID-19 plan, which leads with an appeal for all eligible students to get vaccinated. Anyone over age 12 can get inoculated with the Pfizer version of the shot.

The plan directs Framingham students to visit the health department's nursing clinic, which offers walk-in vaccine appointments five days per week. The district will also operate vaccine clinics for students and staff on Sept. 17 at Framingham High School and Sept. 24 at Fuller Middle School.

The district's mask mandate includes all students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12, plus teachers and staff. Officials decided on a mask mandate because of the high number of students not yet eligible for the vaccine, and how difficult it would be to enforce a mask mandate for only unvaccinated people, among other factors.

Framingham will also use a combination of pooled and diagnostic tests to detect cases early. The district mounted a pooled testing program last winter, allowing in-person classes to continue without whole schools getting shut down.

The district will also use basic practices to reduce COVID-19 transmission, like encouraging frequent handwashing, advising people to stay home when sick, proper ventilation and physical distancing — although the plan does not call for minimum distancing. The district is planning to spend about $5 million in the coming months upgrading ventilation systems in school buildings.

You can read the Framingham's full 2021-22 COVID-19 safety plan here.