After six months, two variants and an additional 826,000 cases in the state, “Mask Liberation Day” finally arrived Monday for Massachusetts school kids -- just as students returned from winter break.
“I think it’s been a long time coming,” said Melanie Maletta, mother of two children in the Northborough-Southborough School District, where the middle and high schools are now mask optional -- to be joined by elementary grade levels in two weeks. “I think we have good herd immunity,” she added.
In fact, Massachusetts is near the top when it comes to vaccinating those under 18 -- though just 58 percent of its kids 5-11 years old have received at least one dose. Rates for 12-17-year-olds are above 90 percent.
Maletta’s daughters attend Algonquin Regional High School. She said they were a bit hesitant about what to do about masking this morning.
“I think, overall, they were excited to go back after vacation and having the opportunity to not wear a mask or wear a mask,” she said.
Some students still have no such option -- especially in the state’s largest school districts.
Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge and Somerville will continue to enforce mask mandates for now -- though Worcester’s Board of Health could end the practice when it meets next week.
Other districts plan to de-mask a bit further down the line. Lynn and Fall River are waiting until March 14; New Bedford until March 7.
In Shrewsbury, masking will continue this week. But the Board of Health will be meeting Friday, and school masking is on the agenda.
“I think they should come off,” said Hakim James, a parent of Worcester school children. “Majority where you go, people not wearing masks that much and my kids are vaccinated so let’s just hope for the best, you know and take the masks off.”
But some students drifting out of North High Monday aren’t so sure they will take their masks off, once they can.
“I feel like it’s safer with COVID-19 going on,” said Cerri Wardell. “Because I feel like when people take off the masks, cases rise up.”
Prince Torres said he, too, will keep his mask on.
“Because it’s like a lot safer,” he said. “I feel more protected.”
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