Massachusetts eases indoor mask advisory

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Tuesday eased its indoor mask advisory, allowing the fully vaccinated to choose not to wear face coverings while indoors.

The department continues to recommend mask-wearing among the unvaccinated and immunocompromised.

“DPH now advises that a fully vaccinated person should wear a mask or face covering when indoors (and not in your own home) if you have a weakened immune system, if you are at increased risk for severe disease because of your age or an underlying medical condition, or if someone in your household has a weakened immune system and is at increased risk for severe disease or is unvaccinated,” the department outlined in a statement.

The DPH also clarified that those who are not fully vaccinated should continue wearing masks indoors to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Quarantine guidance was also discussed in the update; those who test positive or are close contacts of someone who tests positive for COVID-19 will be required to wear masks in public indoor settings for five days after leaving isolation.

Residents of Massachusetts will continue to be required to wear face coverings on public transportation and in health care and other facilities. These guidelines apply to all people, regardless of vaccination status.

The new recommendations follow changes in indoor mask advisories in many states in recent weeks.