Lower Providence Now Requires Masks In Township Buildings

LOWER PROVIDENCE, PA — This central Montgomery County community has joined the ranks of others in the region who are now mandating universal masking in light of rising COVID-19 infection rates.

Starting Monday Aug. 16, everyone who enters a township facility or government building will be required to wear a facemask.

Township officials announced the requirement on Monday as a mitigation effort to stem the rising tide of coronavirus numbers, which are in part blamed on the Delta variant of the virus.

Lower Providence says that the mask guidance for township staff and visitors changed due to the fact that the community, and many others in Montgomery County, are now in what is deemed the 'substantial' transmission rate category for COVID-19.

The township said the new universal masking policy will be in effect until further notice.

Pennsylvania does not currently have a statewide masking mandate, although some local communities are changing their policies because of the rising coronavirus numbers.

Mask policies also vary among school districts, with many, but not all, Montgomery County districts re-instituting universal masking for the coming school year as a mitigation strategy.