GREENFIELD — Beginning Monday, masks will no longer be mandated in the city, though they will still be required to do business in City Hall.
“This is the result of the first 30-day review of this mandate,” Mayor Roxann Wedegartner said at a press conference Wednesday morning. “We’ve seen a significant decline in the prevalence of COVID-19 in the last month versus the month of September and early October.”
The mask mandate — which went into effect Sept. 20 following a vote by the Board of Health — applied to anyone over the age of 5, unless medically exempt, regardless of vaccination status, when indoors in public spaces and private businesses.
Wedegartner said Wednesday morning that contact tracing efforts by the Health Department have helped the city to “keep up” with the numbers. As of Wednesday morning, she noted, there were seven active cases.
“As we know, that can change,” she said. “We do base our information on the state — which can lag behind — but it is, all in all, a good sign.”
Locally, Montague and Sunderland also recently rescinded their mask mandates.
Wedegartner said despite the city’s decision to drop the mask mandate, business owners who wish to continue requiring masks within their establishments “will have the city behind them.”
“In fact, at least a half-dozen privately owned businesses with locations in Greenfield have corporate policies requiring masks, including several large retailers and chain restaurants,” she said. “We urge you to comply with their corporate requirements for the health and safety of their employees.”
To that end, Wedegartner also asked that individuals visiting City Hall be respectful of city employees.
“Please do not call or show up at City Hall and berate the staff because of masks, vaccines, needing your paperwork ASAP, your taxes, your dog license or anything else,” Wedegartner said. “All of those things are available to you here in City Hall and many of those things are also available online.”
Wedegartner, noting that Greenfield has 64% of its population fully vaccinated, encouraged residents to get vaccinated if they haven’t already done so. About 73% have received their first dose.
“You can compare that with the state’s average of 69.4%,” she said. “In Vermont, it’s 71%; in New York state, 66%; and in Connecticut, 70%.”
Locally, she said, Bernardston’s COVID-19 vaccination rate is at 62%; Deerfield’s is 79%; Gill’s is 66%; and Sunderland’s is 67%.
In addition to encouraging vaccinations — and boosters for those who are eligible — Wedegartner encouraged people to continue wearing masks in public when they feel it is in the best interest, particularly in enclosed spaces with large crowds.
“Mask wearing not only protects you, it protects others,” she said. “And remember, many children are still not vaccinated.”
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne