Boston, Brookline reinstate indoor mask mandate

BOSTON — Acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey has reinstated the city of Boston’s indoor mask mandate, and Brookline officials have also done the same.

The indoor mask mandates will become effective on Friday, Aug. 27.

These announcements come as cities and towns across the country begin reinstating indoor mask mandates as COVID cases continue to spike.

“There is nothing more important than Boston’s safe recovery, reopening, and renewal from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said Janey. “We know that masks work best when everyone wears one. Requiring masks indoors is a proactive public health measure to limit transmission of the Delta variant, boost the public confidence in our businesses and venues, and protect the residents of our city who are too young for vaccination.”

>> Which Massachusetts cities and towns are requiring masks?

According to the city, through an order from the Boston Public Health Commission, the City of Boston will require all people over age two to wear a mask or face covering:

“Whenever they are indoors on the premises of a business, club, place of assembly or other place that is open to members of the public, including but not limited to retail establishments, restaurants, bars, performance venues, social clubs, event spaces, and municipal buildings.

Face coverings may be removed when actively eating or drinking. Masks must be worn for all other indoor activities, including ordering at a bar or dancing. Masks are also required in gyms. The order does not apply to gatherings in private residences when no compensation is paid, private buildings that are inaccessible to the public, places of worship, private workspaces inaccessible to the public, or performers who maintain six feet of distance from their audience.”

Last week, Janey announced a vaccine mandate for all city employees. If workers do not provide vaccine information they will be required to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing and will need to provide proof of their negative test results. She also announced the city was requiring masks inside all municipal buildings.

In Brookline, every individual age 2 or older will be required to wear a face covering over their mouth and nose at all times while indoors, including at businesses, restaurants, clubs, places of assembly, municipal buildings and any other location open to the general public. Restaurant customers are required to keep their face coverings on while indoors, unless actively eating or drinking.

On Thursday, Governor Charlie Baker announced a vaccine mandate for 44,000 state workers.

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