City of Springfield Board of Health Issues Mask Advisory for those with Underlying Health Conditions
Springfield, MA – Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Health and Human Services (HHS) Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris announced today that the Board of Health is issuing a Mask Advisory due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases. The City of Springfield’s Board of Health is advising individuals, especially those who are at high-risk and with underlying health conditions, such as those with chronic diseases and those who are immune compromised, to continue to wear their mask, especially in public indoor settings.
On May 3, 2022, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a statement recommending the wearing of a mask when indoors, on public transportation and at transportation hubs, especially for elderly and those people with underlying health conditions.
The City of Springfield has seen a steady uptick in COVID-19 cases over the past six weeks. Although critical hospital numbers have remained stable, the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services and Board of Health want to remind residents to take the precautionary measures needed to maintain good public health. Below is the weekly breakdown of cases over the past six weeks.
| Week of April 24, 2022 | 350 |
| Week of April 17, 2022 | 250 |
| Week of April 10, 2022 | 218 |
| Week of April 3, 2022 | 137 |
| Week of March 27, 2022 | 115 |
| Week of March 20, 2022 | 71 |
Mayor Sarno states, “Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris and I will continue to push the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters shots for our residents. Although our critical hospital numbers are stable, this steady uptick of COVID-19 cases is concerning and we want to remain proactive and preventative instead of waiting to react to the situation when it could be much worse. As such, our Department of Health and Human Services and the Board of Health is issuing this mask advisory, especially for those who may be at high-risk and with underlying health conditions. I want to be clear, this is not a mask mandate; we are not there – yet. It is our hope that we will continue to increase our vaccination numbers and that those critical hospital numbers remain manageable.”
HHS Commissioner Caulton-Harris stated, “As we continue to see a troubling trend of increasing cases, the City of Springfield Department of Health and Human Services and the Board of Health is issuing this mask advisory. I cannot stress enough, that this virus is here to stay and we must all remain vigilant. This is not a sprint; this is a marathon and unless we get vaccinated we are at risk. The Department of Health and Human Services will continue to work with all of our community partners to make sure that this life saving vaccine is readily available for everyone. There is still much work to do but together I have the full confidence that if we remain vigilant and take the appropriate actions that is needed we will get through this stronger and healthier. Again, I ask all of our residents, young and old, get your vaccine and booster shots.”
Mayor Sarno and HHS Commissioner Caulton-Harris said, “We do not make these decisions lightly and take these measures out of an abundance of caution, to be proactive so that we can continue to balance public health and safety, while keeping our economy moving forward. We are in a much better position to handle this recent uptick in cases as we now have our ‘ace in the hole’ the vaccine. We implore everyone to get their shot and stay healthy.”
“We have all worked so hard throughout this pandemic,” Mayor Sarno added. “The vaccine works. I implore our residents to please, get vaccinated. This is about public health, plain and simple, not politics, conspiracy theories or misinformation on social media, which has never stopped or cured a medical challenge. Vaccines work! Please get and review the proven facts. Working together is the only way to defeat this COVID-19 pandemic.”
To schedule your COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot at one of the many locations offering the vaccine, please visit the City of Springfield’s COVID-19 webpage at: www.springfield-ma.gov/cos/covid/covid-19-vaccine-appointment-and-clinics
The City of Springfield will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and is committed to keeping our residents and business community informed about the latest developments. For more information and to stay updated, please visit the City of Springfield’s website at www.springfield-ma.gov