Springfield and Chicopee take different approaches to mask mandates

Sept. 15, 2021 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

SPRINGFIELD/CHICOPEE – Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno announced on Sept. 9 a city-wide mask mandate that would require the wearing of masks for “all public places including municipal buildings, private businesses, and public gatherings and events to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus,” according to information supplied by Sarno’s administration.

One town over, though, Mayor John Vieau of Chicopee won’t go as far as Sarno, but has ordered the wearing of “masks regardless of vaccination status in all municipal building effective Monday, September 13, 2021. Employees will be mandated to wear a mask in common spaces and when not in their personal work space. Patrons in city buildings must wear a mask upon entry and will be provided with a mask if they do not have one… At this time, the city is not mandating masks in privately owned spaces that have the freedom to choose their own policy. The CDC does recommend that face coverings be worn in indoor spaces experiencing substantial or high rates of transmission.”

The Springfield mandate would be in place “until November 1, 2021, unless amended or rescinded based on the data we receive,” according to Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris.

Sarno’s director of communications, William Baker, told Reminder Publishing the mandate does not establish capacity limits in businesses. Restaurants and bars, for example, will be allowed to operate with people taking off their masks to eat or drink.

Sarno did not anticipate the mandate will alter the plans of the Springfield Thunderbirds for its opening game next month.

Sarno and Caulton-Harris are reacting to an increase in cases. In a press conference they noted, “The city of Springfield continues to see a significant increase in positive COVID-19 cases, especially in our younger population, and an increase in the delta variant.  For the week of Aug. 29, 2021, the city reported 547 cases, with 55 percent or 300 of the 547 case being under the age of 30.

Springfield and Hampden County still have a vaccination rate less than the state average. The State Department of Public Health’s Weekly COVID-19 Municipality Vaccination Data shows,  as of Aug. 31, Springfield has only 54 percent of residents with at least one dose and 47 percent are fully vaccinated.

Caulton-Harris said, “As we continue to see a troubling trend of increased COVID-19 cases, especially with this new delta variant, the City of Springfield’s Department of Health and Human Services and the Board of Health is mandating a citywide mask policy, regardless of vaccination status, until November 1, 2021, unless amended or rescinded based on the data we receive.  Working with Mayor Sarno and our medical providers, we will continue to review the data and make recommendations on how to proceed.  I cannot stress enough, that this virus is here to stay.  This is not a sprint; this is a marathon and unless we get vaccinated we are all at risk.  This new delta variant is no joke and poses a great risk.  We will continue to work with all of our community partners to make sure that this life saving vaccine is readily available for everyone.  There is still much work to do but together I have the full confidence that if we remain vigilant and take the appropriate action that is needed, we will get through this stronger and healthier.  Again, I ask all of our residents, young and old, get your vaccine.”

Push to mandate vaccination

In a related story, Matt Murphy of the State House News Service reported on Sept. 9:

The Arc of Massachusetts called on Gov. Charlie Baker on [Sept 9] to mandate vaccines for anyone providing care to people with disabilities in group living or day programs, and urged the state to provide direct financial support for surveillance testing and other infection control measures.

“We seriously fear the impact of the increasing cases of Covid-19 in our commonwealth,” wrote Leo Sarkissian, the executive director of the Arc of Massachusetts, in a statement on the pandemic. Sarkissian said that residential and day programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have received additional funding through the American Rescue Plan Act and other sources for salaries and staff recruitment, but some of those resources have had to be “epurposed” for surveillance and infection control. He said programs need “adequate” funding to implement all necessary COVID-19 safety protocols.

Gov. Charlie Baker has already mandated that all executive branch employees be vaccinated against COVID-19, and this week the Public Health Council approved his request to require vaccines for home care workers and rest home, assisted living, and hospice program staff. The governor previously mandated vaccines for workers in skilled nursing facilities. With the Food and Drug Administration giving final approval to the Pfizer vaccine, Sarkissian said it was also time to require vaccinations across the disability services sector. He encouraged any mandate to be as broad as possible to prevent staff from leaving disability programs to work with youth or another at-risk group where a vaccine was not required.

“It is now critically important that we require vaccination for all our constituents and for those who provide care and support. We ask that all caregiving staff serving through agencies under the aegis of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services have a mandatory vaccine requirement,” Sarkissian wrote in the statement. The statement was sent to Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders and other Executive Office of Health and Human Services officials.

Share this: