Melrose Schools Extending Mask Mandate, But End Date No Sure Thing

MELROSE, MA — A conflicted School Committee extended the district's mask mandate through winter, but could still decide to end it earlier or later as this new stage of the pandemic unfolds.

The School Committee Tuesday night concluded nearly two hours of discussion with a 6-0 vote (and one abstention) to approve Superintendent Julie Kukenberger and Health Director Anthony Chui's recommendation to extend the mask mandate through March 20. The decision will be revisited March 8.

The vote also grants Kukenberger unilateral authority to further extend the mask mandate at the Franklin School, where students are too young to be eligible for vaccination. There was no immediate indication Kukenberger would take that step.

The lengthy, at times thoughtful discussion was marked by acknowledgments that knowing the right thing amid changing guidelines, while representing thousands of families with different viewpoints, is not easy.

"It's not going to be perfect, it's not going to be risk-free, but we're mitigating those risks, as best we can with all the complex things that go into making this the right decision for everyone," Mayor Paul Brodeur said.

Gov. Charlie Baker last week announced the state's school mask mandate will end Feb. 28. After that, districts will be free to enforce masking rules as they see fit.

Since the district already has its own policy in place — and since Melrose has dropped its indoor mask mandate — the School Committee will need to rescind the requirement at some point. Right now that's March 21, but that could change with the decision set to be revisited March 8.

There was a proposal to end the mask mandate on March 8, but only Margaret Driscoll and Jen Razi-Thomas supported it.

"We just have to decide when is the best possible moment," Razi-Thomas said. "And for a lot of people, that moment's already passed. People's patience and tolerance have worn really thin, and we have to be really mindful of that."

March 8 may not yield a definitive date, either. Kukenberger has been concerned with a rise in COVID-19 cases following February vacation, since cases have spiked in the 2-3 weeks following extended school breaks. March 8 will only be a week or so after students return.

The end date in essence remains open, which is typical of policy during the pandemic.

"We're trying to build in a schedule that's both evidence-based and tolerable by the community," Kukenberger said.

The level of tolerance is not uniform throughout the community.

"We want to be mindful that there are lots of families in our community that are still struggling with this," Heath Director Anthony Chui said. "There are students that have immunocompromised status, and we want to be mindful of those students and families. So when we talk about this idea of lifting masks, it isn't done isn't done flippantly. We discussed this policy with data in mind."

Chui noted Melrose's positivity rate has decreased to 8.2 percent. Hospitalizations have increase at MelroseWakefield Hospital, where only about 20 percent of ICU beds available.

There have been 1,146 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the district this school year, 50 so far in February.

The city's vaccination rate remains very high — though its lowest numbers among those eligible are in the 5-11 age bracket, where 78 percent were fully vaccinated, according to last week's public health data.

The city will also soon be adopting updated vaccination definitions, with the most up-to-date vaccination including a booster shot a set time after the initial round of vaccination.

The School Committee vote came hours after the Department of Public Health updated its guidance on mask-wearing, only recommending masks for people who aren't fully vaccinated or who have weakened immune systems.

Mike Carraggi can be reached at mike.carraggi@patch.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi and Instagram at Melrose Happening. Subscribe to Melrose Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook