As the Omicron variant of COVID-19 stirs public concerns and overwhelms medical personnel, two new local mask mandates when into effect this week.
The Jaffrey-Rindge School Board voted Monday night to implement a mask mandate, effective immediately, and Peterborough Select Board members voted Tuesday night to require masks in all public buildings in town. Both mandates last through the end of January.
For the school district, this is an upgrade from its previous level of “recommended” masking, as laid out by the decision-making matrix adopted by the School Board in the fall, which compares the level of community transmission in the county to the percentage of students out of school with an illness. Depending on the numbers, the district’s schools fall into green, yellow or red categories. In green, masking is optional and social distancing is not required, while in yellow, masking is recommended and social distancing is required indoors.
Now, with the addition of universal masking regardless of color category, the matrix will not be used in January for decision-making on masks.
The mandate applies to all school buildings, and was effective starting on Tuesday. Consistent with the matrix, the mask mandate only applies indoors, and students will receive mask breaks as necessary.
The decision was in part based on a recommendation from Superintendent Reuben Duncan to mandate masks for a month in order to gather data on how district cases change due to the Omicron variant. The district will evaluate the data when it considers potentially extending the mask mandate.
“I think last year, we were very good about making adjustments when we needed to make adjustments,” Duncan said. “Last year, we masked and we had very good data results.”
Board member Lisa Wiley added, “We have a massive responsibility, and masking is the least we can do. Why aren’t we doing everything possible? It’s such a small task.”
Peterborough’s mask mandate applies to the interior of all public buildings, and the only exemptions are for private offices and private meetings, events where the responsibility for health falls onto the organizer or for valid medical reasons. The motivation was in large part to send a message to residents and visitors to take COVID-19 seriously.
“I can’t emphasize the urgency of this, particularly in respect to our hospital,” said Selectman Bill Kennedy. “Whatever we can do in order to ameliorate this situation. I feel strongly that the town needs to come out strongly, make a statement to the public that we’re doing the best we can, the most we can, and this is one of the ways we can do it.”
Select Board members also approved a proclamation urging residents, employees and visitors to wear face coverings, practice social distancing, receive the COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots, monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 and follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
“I appreciate that we’re moving in this direction right now, and serious about getting everyone on board,” said Select Board Chair Tyler Ward.
Another concern related to both mandates was about the effects of high caseloads, specifically staffing shortages at the district and bed shortages at Monadnock Community Hospital.
Duncan said the district was already seeing issues with staffing, as some teachers had to cover other classrooms during the day on Monday.
“The education that our students are not getting as a result of that is concerning,” said School Board Chair Marcia Gustafson-Belletete.
The School Board also revised the existing district framework to clarify that food and drink are not allowed in gymnasiums, in response to concerns that the rule was not explicit enough and people were ignoring it.