Milford Partially Lifts EEE Outdoor Activity Ban

MILFORD, MA — Just in time for Halloween trick-or-treating, Milford health officials have decided to partially lift a ban on outdoor activities put in place at the height of the Eastern equine encephalitis outbreak.

If temperatures are 50 or below, outdoor activities can proceed, Milford officials say. But residents should still consider postponing outdoor activities if it's above 50. Cooler temperatures and mosquito spraying have "drastically reduced" mosquito activity at this point, officials say.

"Residents outside during dusk to dawn hours when the temperature is above or at 50 degrees F should continue wearing bug spray, long pants and long sleeves, or consider staying indoors," a Board of Health announcement released this week said.

The Milford Board of Health advice is a green light for trick-or-treating. Lows could reach 39 on Halloween night, according to long-range forecasts. Meanwhile, the towns of Sudbury and Wayland have advised residents to consider ending trick-or-treating before dusk, which is when mosquitoes are most active.

Health officials generally believe that the EEE threat will be gone once the first "hard" frost hits, which is when temperatures drop to 28 or below for a sustained period.

EEE risk was still "critical" in Milford as of Oct. 21, according to the state Department of Health.