Cooler Temperatures Mean Grafton's EEE Restrictions Lifted

GRAFTON, MA — After a long summer of outdoor restrictions and dodging mosquito-borne illnesses, Grafton announced the cold temperatures have put an end to lingering Eastern equine encephalitis virus fears.

Low temperatures over the weekend spurred the town to lift it's ban on evening, outdoor municipal activities. Technically, when temperatures dip below 28 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 2 hours, there is a hard frost.

When temperatures reach this level, the elevated risk from mosquito-borne disease is considered to have ended.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health still has not removed the risk level designations from towns across the state. The DPH will removed the designations when the state-wide average temperatures meet the conditions for a hard frost.