Business Vaccine Mandate Debate In Salem: Board Of Health

SALEM, MA — Reinstating a mask order to enter Salem indoor businesses, as well as a possible coronavirus vaccination mandate to enter those businesses, will be up for discussion during the next Salem Board of Health meeting on Tuesday.

The agenda for the meeting includes an update on the region's recent case surge on Salem Hospital capacity, a discussion on endorsing a full vaccination mandate for all city and school employees and a "discussion of possible COVID-19 mitigation strategies, including indoor mask requirement and vaccine mandate to enter businesses."

The Salem Board of Health implemented an indoor mask order for the busy Halloween season in August that was allowed to expire on Nov. 13.

New York City is currently the only major metropolitan area in the country to enforce vaccination orders to enter all indoor businesses, although individual businesses such as TD Garden, Beverly's Cabot Theater and many of Boston's larger music venues have policies that require proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test for entry.

Effective Monday, Salem will also double down upon its indoor mask mandate for all city buildings — which includes City Hall, City Hall Annex, the Community Life Center, the Salem Public Library, the On Point Center, Old Town Hall, park buildings, the Salem Police Station, and all Salem fire stations — regardless of vaccination status.

Currently, Salem municipal employees — including teachers and school staff — are required to show proof of vaccination or undergo regular virus testing.

Salem Superintendent Steve Zrike said during his weekly Facebook Live session last week that the School Committee would soon "revisit the conversation about students being vaccinated" amid a recent statewide rise in cases.

"We are working on the appropriate time to mandate the vaccination for students," Zrike said.

Members of the public are invited to participate in the public comment portion of the 7 p.m. virtual meeting with a link provided here.

(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.)

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