LYNN — Mayor Thomas M. McGee and Department of Public Health Director Michele Desmarais announced Thursday evening that due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, an indoor-mask mandate will take effect on Monday.
Anyone who is over the age of 2, regardless of their vaccination status, is required to wear a mask in any indoor public location. This includes grocery stores, gyms, pharmacies, places of worship, hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, convenience stores, funeral homes, taxis and ride-sharing vehicles, public transit, municipal buildings, and school buildings. Employees and students are required to wear a mask as well.
The mandate comes at a time when the omicron variant continues to impact the United States and a week before holiday gatherings will begin to take place.
“The City of Lynn has made great strides to keep our community safe by offering and encouraging free testing and vaccines, but masking indoors continues to be an incredibly important tool in the toolbox, especially during the holidays and winter season,” said McGee. “That is why the CDC, U.S. surgeon general, and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as well as other federal and state medical authorities recommend this.
“And, in consultation with Mayor-elect (Jared) Nicholson, I feel strongly that by putting this measure in place, we can all do our small part to help drive our positive case numbers down again and keep our community healthy again.”
Per the order, all businesses, healthcare facilities and any other public establishments must post a notice at entries requiring those entering to wear a mask. Those who are non-compliant with this mandate may face a fine of $300 and non-compliant businesses may face a revocation or suspension of their permit or license.
The order states that patrons, customers or attendees who refuse to wear a mask for non-medical reasons will be declined entry by the operator or owner of the establishment.
There are some exceptions to the mandate, including when an individual is eating or drinking, if wearing a mask impedes communication by or with a person with a hearing impairment or other disability, or if a person cannot wear a mask or cloth face-covering due to a medical or disabling condition.
In the order, the mayor’s office and Lynn Department of Public Health said “additional measures are needed to prevent the likelihood of spreading and catching the virus,” due to rising case numbers in the city.
As of Thursday, there have been 21,922 confirmed cases and 240 deaths in Lynn, according to the city’s COVID-19 dashboard. There were 88 new cases reported on Thursday.
“This pandemic continues to have a strong presence here in Lynn,” said Desmarais. “Our positive cases in the last few months have steadily increased again, some days in triple digits, and although we have done a tremendous job with vaccinations which often temper COVID symptoms, the virus is easily transmittable via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. So wearing a mask specifically indoors in group settings will go a long way in helping to stop the spread and protect the most vulnerable among us.”
The mask mandate will remain in effect until further notice.
