SALEM — With tourists from all over the world expected to descend on the Witch City for its signature Halloween season during a period when COVID-19 cases are on the rise, the Salem Board of Health unanimously voted Friday night to require a negative COVID-19 test for people planning to attend large-scale indoor events.
With the vote, people planning to attend indoor gatherings in public spaces with more than 100 guests must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test administered within 72 hours of the event. The mandate becomes effective at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1 and expires at 12:01 a.m. Nov. 1.
“Given what we have seen with the Delta variant and what we know about the number of out-of-state attendees at these events (balls, festivals, parties, etc.), I believe this is an entirely reasonable precaution to take,” said Mayor Kimberley Driscoll on Facebook.
At Friday’s meeting, Driscoll elaborated on these comments, saying that the city was trying to avoid a super-spreader event, which could easily be brought on by a guest who has been infected with the Delta variant. Not only would a super-spreader event from October gatherings impact Salem, but it would also have a wide-ranging impact beyond city borders, due to tourists who travel from all over the world to experience Halloween in the city, she said.
While the city is not implementing a vaccine mandate for guests of these indoor October events, Driscoll noted that the large number of people, particularly in the 16-29 age range, who have not been vaccinated poses a large risk for COVID-19 spread. Approximately 50 percent of people within that age group are not vaccinated, which she said could be risky — if a negative test was not required — since many will likely gather at bars and restaurants in October.
“This feels like, to me, a manageable precaution that’s smart so we can hold these events,” said Driscoll prior to the vote.
Driscoll said the town has been discussing possible testing solutions with Curative, the healthcare company that ran the mass vaccination sites throughout the commonwealth. The company would provide free 15-minute rapid tests to people attending events or simply to the general public. The city is also prepared to help fund the cost of the at-the-door checks for each event.
Salem has already implemented an indoor mask mandate through Halloween, but Driscoll said that may not be enough to protect the vulnerable.
“While we still have an overall low-percent-positive COVID case rate in Salem and low hospitalization numbers, COVID numbers have increased,” said Driscoll. “Ensuring that those attending events have a recent negative COVID test will help limit potential spread associated with these well-attended events — all of which were canceled last year. We have frontline employees working in our hotels and larger venues who may have children under 12 or immunocompromised individuals they go home to in the evening and we want to provide another layer of protection against the spread to them during the busy Haunted Happenings season.”
While the board voted unanimously to require a negative COVID-19 test, the approval came after more than an hour of discussion, which included several concerns from the public, a Chamber of Commerce representative, and a representative from the city’s tourism industry.
One concern included questions about logistics, in terms of how to keep track of the testing; some felt that it would be impossible to regulate and the requirement would prompt a negative reaction from those planning to attend. A tourism employee took issue with the testing, saying that it would hurt an already-suffering tourism industry in Salem, which did not allow Halloween events at all last year.
While board members acknowledged these concerns, Board of Health Chairman Dr. Jeremy Schiller said all of the panel’s decisions are based on protecting the public health of Salem.
“This is not easy,” Schiller said after the vote. “I do believe this is the best we can do to really keep people safe and (lower) the impact.”
