North Shore COVID Orders Back Up For Debate: Patch Sunday

Salem MA

06 February, 2022

3:29 PM

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SALEM, MA — A little more than a month after Boards of Health across the North Shore ushered in a succession of renewed mask orders for indoor public spaces amid the omicron COVID spike, several cities and towns now appear on the verge of making the face coverings optional once again. The Beverly Board of Health, on Monday, voted unanimously to lift that city's mask order four weeks after implementing it, while Boards of Health in Danvers and Peabody stated at their last meetings that they intend to review their orders in the coming weeks. On Tuesday, the Salem Board of Health is set to consider and vote to extend or rescind both that city's mask mandate and the vaccination proof of entry order for bars, restaurants, gyms, theaters, museums and other entertainment venues. Get caught up on what North Shore communities are saying about the future of maks and vaccine mandates, along with anything else you may have missed this week, in this edition of Patch Sunday. Salem Mask, Vaccination Orders Back On Board Of Health Agenda The Salem Board of Health will take a second look at the city's recently imposed mask order for indoor public spaces and proof-0f-vaccination order for many businesses and entertainment venues at its next meeting on Tuesday. Salem was one of several North Shore cities and towns to reimpose a mask order amid the omicron case spike late in December. That same night, the Board of Health also voted to join Boston as the only two cities in the state to impose a proof-of-vaccination order for certain businesses. The vaccination order went into effect on Jan. 15. Danvers To Review Indoor Mask Order In 1 Week The Danvers Board of Health responded to more than 90 minutes of public comment overwhelmingly in objection to the town's indoor public spaces mask mandate by agreeing to meet again this week to consider rescinding the order if COVID cases continue to decline. The decision nearly three hours after the start of Thursday night's meeting was a significant reversal from member statements earlier in the night that indicated while the Board of Health considered the mandate "temporary" and would review it "at the appropriate time" it was united in keeping the order in place. "I heard some things tonight that I had not considered," Danvers Board of Health Chair Thomas McLaughlin said. "There were some very intelligent, well-thought-out reasons (for lifting the order)." Beverly Makes Masks Optional Again As Coronavirus Cases Drop One of the final North Shore communities to reinstate a mask order for indoor public spaces amid the recent coronavirus surge will be the first to let it expire. Just four weeks after voting 2-1 to reimpose the mask order, the Beverly Board of Health voted unanimously Monday night to allow it to expire at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday night. "I feel we really need to look at where we're at," Board of Health member Sue Higgins said on Monday. "I think we need to learn to live with COVID, to accept it that it is endemic, similar to dealing with the seasonal flu. A lot has changed." Peabody Extends Mask Order For Indoor Public Spaces Peabody Board of Health Chair Tom Durkin said the order will be re-considered once again at next month's meeting — even leaving open the possibility of moving up that meeting a a week or more to facilitate an earlier vote. The Peabody Board of Health generally meets on the final Thursday of each month. Salem Chamber Calls For End To City Vaccination-Proof Entry Order The Salem Chamber of Commerce is "strongly urging" the Board of Health to repeal the proof-of-vaccination order for entry into city bars, restaurants, gyms, museums, theaters and other entertainment venues that went into effect just two weeks ago. ChamberExecutive Director Rinus Oosthoek wrote in the Chamber's weekly newsletter that it is making the request "based on the current data and trends in the number of cases, the number of direct COVID-related hospitalizations as well as the fact that Salem has become even more of an island on the North Shore in terms of COVID measures." Masks Required In Beverly City Buildings Despite Mandate Lift While masks once again became optional in most indoor public spaces in Beverly as of Thursday there are some exceptions. Salem State's Dr. Kristin Pangallo To Talk School COVID Response Salem State professor and Salem School Committee member Dr. Kristin Pangallo will host a virtual forum on how science guided the city's public schools' pandemic response as part of SSU's 43rd annual Charles Darwin Festival. Pangallo's presentation "The Best Bad Option: Using Science to Guide Public Schools' Pandemic Response" is available via Zoom on Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. The presentation is open to the public as well as SSU students and staff. Salem Schools Make Free KN95 Masks Available To Students Many Salem students can now pick up KN95 respirator masks at school as the district looks to provide extra mitigation against COVID-19 transmission. Swampscott Residents Encouraged To Sign Black History Month Proclamation Swampscott residents have the opportunity to sign the town's 2022 Black History Month proclamation approved at Wednesday night's Select Board meeting. Danvers To Use Federal Funds On New Municipal Website Danvers intends to use a portion of its American Recovery Plan Act pandemic stimulus funding to overhaul the town's municipal website. Assistant Town Manager Jen Breaker and Danvers IT Director Colby Cousens will oversee the project, which will include seeking public input on key features and community photo submissions. Marblehead Convenes Affordable Housing Summit Marblehead will convene a virtual summit on the history of affordable housing in the town, the current housing state, and the role that race has played in housing equity next month. Swampscott Polar Plunge Raises More Than $6K For Anchor Pantry More than 150 hardy folks combined to raise $6,250 by taking an icy dip on New Year's Day in Swampscott. The Swampscott Yacht Club said that was the donation made to the Anchor Food Pantry through collections at its 16th annual Polar Plunge. Shuttle Buses Coming To Beverly Commuter Rail Line For 2 Months North Shore residents headed to Newburyport this spring could be in for a free ride if they don't mind riding the bus. The MBTA said that starting March 5 shuttle buses will replace trains from Beverly north on the Newburyport. The final train stop will be Beverly with North Beverly, Hamilton-Wenham, Ipswich, Rowley and Newburyport served by shuttle. (Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)