Politics & Government
Worcester Will Take Second Shot At Rescinding Mask Mandate
The Worcester mask mandate will likely end Friday. Cases are still higher now than when the mandate went into effect in September.
WORCESTER, MA — The second time will probably be the charm for the repeal of Worcester's mask mandate.
Due to a procedural error at last week's Board of Health meeting — new member Gary Rosen had not technically been sworn in — the board will meet again on Wednesday to vote on rescinding the mask mandate.
City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. has asked the board to approve his request to repeal the mandate as cases linked to the omicron variant have declined recently. Although, coronavirus cases are still higher now than when the mask mandate went into effect in September — and much higher than when the previous statewide mask mandate ended.
Worcester's most recent mask mandate went into effect on Sept. 17, when delta — not omicron — was the main variant of concern.
On Sept. 17, 2021, Worcester was adding about 35 cases per day per 100,000 residents over a two-week period. For the two weeks ending Feb. 5, Worcester was adding about 85.5 cases per 100,000 residents, according to state Department of Public Health data. The one-week rate per 100,000 residents was down to 71.6 per day, according to city officials.
Gov. Charlie Baker ended the statewide mask mandate on May 29. On that date, Worcester was adding about 6 cases per 100,000 residents over a two-week period, according to state data from that time.
But officials in Worcester, including Medical Director Michael Hirsh, see a lot of good in the declining trend. Cases have steadily declined from mid-January, when Worcester was adding about 435 per day per 100,000 residents. Hospitalizations are also down, although ICU cases are still lingering, Hirsh said this week.
The Board of Health, however, is not unanimous on the issue of removing the mask mandate. At last week's meeting to rescind the order, members Chareese Allen and Khanh Van Tran voted against rescinding the mandate.
With Rosen, a former city councilor, back at Wednesday's meeting, it's likely the board will have another 3 to 2 vote to rescind the mandate. If that's the case, the firm mandate will go away on Friday and be replaced by a mask advisory.
"Under the advisory, masking is specifically recommended for individuals with a weakened immune system, at increased risk for severe disease because of age or an underlying medical condition, and who share a household with someone who has a weakened immune system, if at increased risk for severe disease, or is unvaccinated," the advisory says.
WRTA buses will still require masks due to a federal mandate, and private businesses could still require masks as a condition of entry. Worcester schools will keep masks until at least Feb. 28, which is when state officials are letting a blanket mandate expire.
