MA Schools Weigh Option Of Masking Students For Last Weeks Of Classes

BOSTON — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly all of Massachusetts is now considered to be at high risk for COVID-19 transmission, prompting a few schools to weigh the idea of bringing back masks for the last few weeks of classes.

Several districts including Arlington, Belmont, Brookline, Cambridge and Holliston have sent notices home to families suggesting they start using masks again for the last month of the school year.

Positivity rates are still much lower than they were at the peak of the omicron wave in January but have been steadily increasing since the end of March.

On Thursday, Massachusetts reported 13,380 students had tested positive over the last week, an increase of about 5,000 cases from the previous week, according to the CDC. There were 4,043 teachers and staff who tested positive, an increase of about 1,400.

"I think that we are all concerned," said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, executive director for the Boston Public Health Commission. "There is no reason for panic; however, we are concerned and we are following this data very closely."

COVID-19 case counts rose in 85 percent of Massachusetts communities, according to the state Department of Public Health.

Boston's community test positivity rate is now over 10 percent, as of last Thursday, (excluding colleges), and continued climbing over the weekend.

"I think it's really important that we properly communicate when cases are high and when risk is higher," Dr. Shira Doron of Tufts Medical Center told NBC10. "I think it's really important that we properly communicate how people can and should protect themselves, how they should access high-quality masks and make those actually available at no cost to people."

Boston Public Schools opted to keep the mask mandate in play when the rest of the state dropped it back in February.