HARWICH – The Harwich Board of Health has rescinded its mask mandate in all town buildings in light of a continued drop in COVID cases.
The decision comes as other towns and schools drop face covering requirements, including Provincetown.
In their statement, the board highlighted the state Department of Public Health’s advisory to get vaccinated and stay up to date on COVID vaccinations, including booster shots.
Health experts with the town and state said that vaccination remains the most effective protection against serious illness, hospitalization and death.
According to the latest guidance from the state, fully vaccinated people should wear a face covering while indoors if they have a weakened immune system, if they’re at a heightened risk for severe disease due to age or an underlying condition, or if someone within their household has a weakened immune system, a higher risk of disease, or is unvaccinated.
Otherwise, masks are no longer expected of residents by the state, though local municipalities or private business may still require them.
Statewide, the 7-day positivity rate is about 2.76 percent, showing a sharp decline over previous weeks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers a rate above 5 percent to be outbreak status.
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