Return Of Melrose Mask Mandate? Local Health Officials To Vote This Week

MELROSE, MA — Local health officials will vote this week to re-implement a citywide mask mandate as the contagious new omicron variant fuels a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Health Director Anthony Chui called an emergency meeting of the Melrose Board of Health for Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The only items on the agenda are discussing and voting on a citywide mask mandate. Public comment will be open at the start of the meeting.

Massachusetts reported 12,983 cases Monday, a three-day tally from Christmas weekend. The state set a single-day record Friday with 10,040 new cases, and it could pass 1 million confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic as early as Tuesday.

Public health data released last week showed 260 confirmed cases in Melrose over the previous two weeks, bringing the local total to over 3,000. Melrose's two-week positive test rate was at 5.81 percent.

Melrose remains one of the most vaccinated communities in Massachusetts, with 90 percent of eligible residents receiving at least one vaccination.

Melrose first instituted an indoor mask mandate in April 2020. At the time anyone without a mask was set to get a warning on their first offense and subject to a $50 fine on a second offense, $100 fine on a third offense and $300 fines on fourth and subsequent offenses.

The city has had a mask mandate for municipal buildings since the middle of this August, when the term "breakthrough cases" was still entering the lexicon.

Melrose has not been among the communities to schedule a vaccine mandate, something Boston and other large cities and towns announced plans for last week. While The Boston Globe reported Melrose was considering such a policy, Brodeur stopped short of committing to such a measure.

"Here in Melrose, we are constantly evaluating our policies and procedures and working closely with the Board of Health, business community, and our local hospital to identify the most effective measures we can deploy to protect our residents," he said in a statement to Patch.

Mike Carraggi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi and Instagram at Melrose Happening. Subscribe to Melrose Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook