MA Doctors Push For Masks Indoors After Baker Balks At Mandate

MASSACHUSETTS — A group representing thousands of Massachusetts doctors and medical students is calling for masks to be worn in all indoor spaces.

The Massachusetts Medical Society cited an uptick in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations and said going back to universal masking could slow the spread of the virus over the holidays.

"As the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue an alarming upward trend that is straining our health care system, the physicians of the Massachusetts Medical Society recommend that masks be required at all public indoor settings in the Commonwealth, regardless of vaccination status," Dr. Carole Allen, president of the society, said in a statement to media outlets.

"Wearing masks while indoors is an effective and appropriate way to slow transmission of the disease, especially with the holiday and cold and flu seasons upon us," she continued.

The statement from the association, which has 25,000 members, comes a day after Gov. Charlie Baker said he has no plans to reinstate a statewide mask mandate. Instead, Baker emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated and receiving booster shots once eligible.

"Kids are staying in school, our small businesses are open for holiday shopping, families are gathering," Baker said. "COVID isn't going away anytime soon. If you're eligible to get vaccinated, get vaccinated; eligible to get boosted, get boosted."

Baker was asked about the mandate as he announced the state would send 2 million rapid COVID-19 test kits to communities hit hardest in the recent surge. The state's seven-day, average positive-test rate is about 5 percent, and infections are occurring at rates not seen since last winter.

"We must all work together to take steps to confront and stem what could be a continued rise in cases, hospitalizations, serious illness, and death," Allen said Tuesday.