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Covid-19: CDC Recommends Wearing Masks Indoors In These Massachusetts Counties

Massachusetts residents are being advised by federal health officials to start masking back up amid the latest spike in new COVID-19 cases.

The CDC's COVID-19 risk map in Massachusetts on Tuesday, May 17.

The CDC's COVID-19 risk map in Massachusetts on Tuesday, May 17.

Photo Credit: CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance on mask-wearing to concentrate on COVID-19 hospitalizations, hospital capacity, and newly reported infections, leaving most of the state being encouraged to return to wearing facial coverings indoors.

According to the CDC, in the past seven days, there have been more than 13,000 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Massachusetts, including 50 new patients that were admitted to hospitals to be treated for the virus across the state.

The CDC offers a color-coded map - with counties designated as orange, yellow, or green — to help guide local officials and residents.

In green counties, local officials can drop any indoor masking rules. Yellow means people at high risk for severe disease should be cautious, and orange designates places where the CDC suggests masking should be universal, regardless of vaccination status.

As of Tuesday, May 17, Massachusetts had no counties in the "green" category, and these four counties landed in the "yellow" zone: 

  • Franklin;
  • Hampshire;
  • Newport;
  • Bristol.

All other counties are in the "orange" category and are being advised to resume masking up in indoor settings.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky previously cited protection from immunity rising both from vaccination and infection as reasons for altering the guidance on masks.

“Anybody is certainly welcome to wear a mask at any time if they feel safer wearing a mask,” she said during an earlier news briefing to announce the changes.

“We want to make sure our hospitals are OK and people are not coming in with severe disease,” she continued. “Anyone can go to the CDC website, find out the volume of disease in their community and make that decision.” 

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