NORTHAMPTON - The Health Committee is now advising “all individuals” in the city to wear masks in enclosed public spaces to protect themselves from COVID-19 infection.
The councils for masks, which the board brought on Wednesday night, will become more concrete after the board cooperates with the city’s Department of Health and Social Services on finalizing the language.
The proposed language advises masking those over 2 years of age for those who can “medically tolerate” it and cites “increasing pressure on the health system” as the spread of the virus continues to increase in the city and Hampshire in a broader sense.
Separately, the board recommended that pharmacies and closed food markets set aside special opening hours between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., when masks are mandatory.
KN95, N95 and KF94 masks are “desirable”, according to the proposed language. Masking is “especially important in environments where it is crowded or where ventilation is poor.”
Board chairwoman Dr. Joan Levin reminded members and the public that their actions on Wednesday night had nothing to do with the school system.
“We did not intervene in schools because we are not school professionals,” Levin said.
On Friday afternoon, the School Board will hold a special meeting to consider revising or repealing the COVID-19 disguise policy in the public school district. The virtual meeting starts at 4 p.m.
Northampton reported 152 cases across the city in the week before May 4; from May 16 to 21, there were 170 cases. According to a presentation by nurse Vivian Franklin to the health board, there were 160 new cases from May 17 to 23, and 12 people reported positive antigen tests at home. Less than five people were hospitalized and there were no deaths caused by COVID-19.
Also from May 17 to 23, Hampshire County recorded 723 new cases, about 20% less than the previous week, and 15 hospitalizations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the number of deaths is less than 10.
“As we all know, cases are underreported at the moment due to a lack of testing and testing at home,” Franklin said.
In Northampton and Hampshire, the CDC considers COVID-19 levels in the community - a metric that affects transmission and hospitalization - to be “medium”. Excluding hospitalizations, Franklin said, the level of transmission is “high”.
Emily Bodie, a volunteer at MaskChoice Pioneer Valley, criticized the board’s decision to issue advice on masks, saying in an interview on Thursday: “CDC guidelines already exist.
“The CDC guidelines are not advisory measures for wearing masks,” she said. “If you are someone who is in danger, you should talk to your doctor about wearing a mask.”
Superintendent John Provost returned the mask mandate for public schools in Northampton on May 10, and it remains in force.
Bodie called for the school board to give up the mandate of the mask. On Thursday, she quoted the work of Dr. Shire Doron, a specialist in infectious diseases at the Tufts Medical Center, who called the mandates for the mask at the school “obsolete”.
“People who feel in danger or are simply at risk can use a one-way mask, where a well-fitting respirator (N95 or KN95) protects the user,” Bodi said, summing up Doron’s argument. in newspaper articles and other public statements. “I am in favor of everyone making their own choices and assessing their own risks.
Body was challenged by the fact that a period of public comment was not planned during the virtual meeting of the school board on Friday at 4 pm about the mask policy in the district.
“We want transparency and public participation and we believe that the welfare of children is put behind everything else,” Bodi said.
The vice president of the school board, Gwen Agna, said that “it is in the mayor’s competence to hold a meeting without public comment”. Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, as chair of the School Board, has the discretion to allow public comment or not.
Both Sciarra and Agna said written comments were welcome at any time before the meeting, which was announced on Wednesday. Comments can be sent by e-mail to the committee clerk or directly to the committee members. These email addresses are available on the city’s website.
In a letter last week, MaskChoice threatened “judicial intervention” against district officials if the mandate is not revoked, or if it is used to exclude children from the classroom, and asked for a written response within seven days. On Thursday, the day of the deadline, Agna said that the answer was not sent.
“We are considering this with our own lawyer,” Agna said.
You can reach Brian Steele at [email protected]