Peabody Extends Mask Order For Indoor Public Spaces

PEABODY, MA — The Peabody mask order for indoor public spaces will stay in effect for at least the next few weeks.

While Peabody Board of Health members said they were encouraged with the trend of dropping coronavirus cases, lower hospitalizations and the diminishing amount of virus found in wastewater samples, they chose to take no action during Thursday's meeting to lift the order put back in place on Dec. 22.

"I was hopeful — I truly was — back on December 22nd — that by this meeting we would have had enough," Peabody Board of Health Chair Tom Durkin said. "Nearly a month and it would have been enough. We're not quite there in my judgment."

Health Director Sharon Cameron said she agreed with keeping the mandate in place.

Board of Health member Julia Fleet echoed the consensus that the order should stay in place for at least the short term.

"I think it's probably too early to rescind the mask mandate at this point," she said. "I don't think we're far off. I don't think we have much longer."

Durkin said the order will be re-considered once again at next month's meeting — even leaving open the possibility of moving up that meeting a week or more to facilitate an earlier vote. The Peabody Board of Health generally meets on the final Thursday of each month.

Public comment was allowed at the meeting and nearly all of those speaking advocated for the end to the mask order.

"I am very sensitive to the comments I heard and to the struggles that some people are going through," he said. "I truly am. I don't want to in any way minimize that because it's real. I'm convinced of it and it's really unfortunate.

"And I do commiserate with some of those comments about how 'It needs to end. It's time to end it.' I really wish it too. From the bottom of my heart, I do."

He said the Board has a responsibility to carefully watch the numbers and data, follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, and continue its commitment to be open to public comments both written and in meetings.

"Maybe by February it will be time," Durkin said. "I'm hopeful. It's difficult.

"People don't like wearing masks. I understand it."

(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.)