Mask Requirement Lifted At East Hampton Town Facilities

EAST HAMPTON, NY — The mask requirement has been lifted in East Hampton Town facilities.

On Monday, East Hampton Town officials said the mandate was lifted immediately, and town employees, as well as visitors to town offices and other facilities, are no longer be required to wear face masks when inside a town building.

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Suffolk County fell to a seven-day average
positivity rate of 1.9 percent as of Feb. 26, officials said. For the week ending Feb. 20, for the
first time, there were no new cases of COVID detected among the 79 tests conducted at the
COVID test site in Wainscott.

Last week, 1 out of 59 tests conducted was positive, officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control is now tracking COVID case levels in counties nationwide
based on the rate of hospital admissions for COVID and the number of hospital beds occupied by
COVID patients, as well as the total number of new cases in each county per week, assigning a
“low,” “medium,” or “high” score, officials said.

Indoor mask wearing is advised only in areas of “high” community levels of COVID, officials said.

Suffolk County is currently listed as “low.” Still, residents are urged to stay up to date on COVID vaccines and to get tested if experiencing COVID symptoms, officials said.

People with symptoms, a positive test, or who have been exposed to COVID should wear a
mask. Other individuals, such as those at high risk for severe illness, or those who are unvaccinated, may choose to wear a mask, officials said.

A New York State-wide school mask mandate will be lifted as of Wednesday, according to New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul.

“I am very pleased that we have reached this milestone,” said East Hampton Town Supervisor
Peter Van Scoyoc. "And we look forward to resuming in-person meetings in the near future.”

East Hampton’s COVID-related policies are subject to revision should the situation change. The Town bases its safety procedures on federal CDC and NYS Health Department guidance, in addition to advice from Dr. Bruce Polsky, the town’s consulting epidemiologist.