Waltham's Month-Long Indoor Mask Mandate Now In Effect

WALTHAM — The Waltham Board of Health voted in favor of a month-long indoor mask mandate on Sept. 29, which officially went into effect Monday and will remain in place until Nov. 1.

The mandate, which passed with a 3-2 vote, requires all people over the age of five to wear a mask inside public places. Exceptions will be made for customers of restaurants or bars who are actively eating and drinking and will also be allowed for gyms, yoga studios, and exercise facilities if social distancing protocols are in place.

"Our job as Board of Health members is to protect the health in any way we can, and a mask mandate does provide extra protection," said Board Member Lee Lerner, who initially proposed for the mandate to last until Dec. 1.

"We are a sanctuary state, and I'm just afraid we don't know whether that's going to spread," said Board of Health Chairman Henry Merola.

"It's better to be safe than sorry," he added.

The decision was met with outbursts from onlookers, with several screaming at the Board of Health over the mandate.

"Nobody's going to make you do anything," said Board of Health Chairman Henry Merola in response to the uproar. "You don't have to wear the mask. The mandate is there, nobody is going to enforce it, nobody is going to put you in jail. The end of discussion."

Although the mandate passed, it wasn't without disagreement among board members, with several arguing against it at the start of the meeting.

"After a great deal of soul searching, at the present time I cannot in good faith support a mask mandate for the residents of Waltham," said Board Member Susan Piantedosi. "I feel each resident in the City of Waltham should be able to make their choice if they so desire."

"I believe that the issue of masks is an individual's responsibility, it is not the government's responsibility," said Board Member Bernard Mullin.

Waltham residents have not taken the mask debate lightly, with many speaking out against the Waltham School Committee's decision to require masks for all public school students this fall and accusing the Board of Health of taking away their freedom at a meeting to discuss a potential indoor mask mandate last month.

Waltham's indoor mask mandate will be revisited next month, at which time the Board of Health will either vote to extend it or let it expire.