Masks, Vaccines: MA COVID-19 Update

Goodness, what a day.

Thursday started with younger teens and pre-teens being eligible for the coronavirus vaccine. It continued with the federal government telling people who are fully vaccinated they no longer need to wear masks in most situations. It ended with one of the most encouraging weekly public health reports in a long time.

In between and all around, COVID-19 news kept coming. Here are five things to know after a whirlwind day.

Not so fast

Yes, the president said it's time for many to ditch masks. But the governor said Massachusetts will need some time. Hours after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced those fully vaccinated can safely stop wearing masks indoors and outdoors, with a few exceptions, Gov. Charlie Baker's office said "the current mask order remains in place." It might not survive for long though — Baker said Friday an update to the reopening plans are coming early next week. But until then, it's putting some businesses in a bind.

State won't mandate vaccine for school

Children ages 12-15 are now eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, which begs the question: Will they be required to get it in order to attend school in the fall? While individual districts are weighing the question, the state will not be mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for students, Baker said. Take our survey and tell us what you think should be done.

It's getting better

It's not over, but COVID-19 metrics are inarguably heading in the right direction. The Department of Public Health on Thursday said there are 15,833 active cases in Massachusetts, which is the lowest number since the count started in November. Just six communities were tagged with the high-risk label. There are now 3,088,699 people fully vaccinated in the state.