Town Administrator Mel Kleckner and Health Commissioner Dr. Swannie Jett announce new face covering guidance for inside town buildings brought on by an increase in CoViD-19 cases locally and regionally.
Due to the increase in cases and out an abundance of caution, effective Monday, August 09, 2021, the town will require all members of the public to wear face coverings while inside public town buildings.
Residents are also encouraged to visit the town’s website, BrookOnLine, to access a number of virtual offerings, including online bill payment.
Town staff are also required to wear face coverings when interacting with members of the public. Staff will be required to wear a face mask when in common areas of town buildings, including elevators, hallways and shared office spaces.
“With CoViD-19 cases in Brookline steadily climbing, we decided that the town needed to reassess the current building protocols and take this step to ensure the continued safety of residents and staff,” said Commissioner Jett. “We ask that residents wear masks inside public town buildings, but we also encourage residents to get vaccinated in order to protect their family, friends and neighbors from the virus.”
The Brookline Department of Public Health continues to conduct contact tracing to help prevent the spread of CoViD-19 in town. Currently, there are more cases on a weekly basis in Brookline than there were at this time last year. This is similar to case trends across the state and nation as a result of the highly contagious nature of the Delta variant.
Additionally, residents and staff are urged to get vaccinated if they have not already done so. Vaccinations significantly reduce the risk of significant illness due to CoViD-19, including the Delta Variant.
While the Delta Variant is causing some cases of breakthrough symptomatic infection in the United States, the vast majority of CoViD-19 hospitalizations and deaths nationwide are among unvaccinated individuals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The most significant levels of spread, and most severe cases of illness and death associated with CoViD-19 — including Delta variant cases — are occurring in places with low vaccination rates. Additionally, vaccinated individuals represent a very small portion of overall Delta Variant transmission.
To find a location where you can be vaccinated, please visit here.
