Updated 4:10 pm
In a continued effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Charlie Baker issued an order Friday requiring everyone in Massachusetts to wear a face covering in public if they’re not able to socially distance from other people.
The order, which includes public spaces such as businesses, outdoors, and public transportation, will go into effect on May 6.
“Covering our faces when we cannot practice social distancing is an easy, critically important, and essential step that everyone can and should take to stop or slow the spread,” Baker said.
Per the order, violators may face fines of up to $300, but enforcement is left up to local city and town officials. While stressing the need for face coverings Baker asked people not to buy medical grade masks which should be reserved for health care workers and first responders.
The order requires the nose and mouth to be covered with a bandanna, t-shirt, cloth mask, painters mask, and other material. The requirement would not apply to children two years of age and younger or people with medical issues that would prevent them from wearing a mask, according to Baker.
Meanwhile, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on Martha’s Vineyard held at 19 Friday, after a string of new cases were reported throughout the week.
Martha’s Vineyard Hospital has tested a total of 441 patients with 408 of those tests coming back negative and 14 pending results. There are currently no patients hospitalized for COVID-19.
According to a report from the Island’s boards of health, of the 19 confirmed cases, ten are female and eight are male. Seven of the cases are aged 50-59 years old, six cases are 60-69 years old, two are 30-39 years old, two are 20-29 years old, and one is 20 years old or younger.
On Thursday, Oak Bluffs board of health issued an emergency order requiring the use of face coverings when entering an enclosed COVID-19 essential services business. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend wearing cloth face coverings in public settings.
During a press conference Thursday, Gov. Charlie Baker said the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide has plateaued.
“We have, in fact, bent the curve,” Baker said. “We did, in fact, reduce the spread. We are now living with a plateau that I’m sure all of us would like to see dip a little bit.”
Baker stressed that now was not the time to let up.
“Infectious disease specialists now believe this virus can go undetected for days and some people who test positive actually never show symptoms at all,” he said, adding that efforts are focused on eliminating “a scenario where the virus comes back.”
Hospital communications director Katrina Delgadillo confirmed that one of the confirmed COVID-19 patients transferred to Boston due to health complications has died “due to medical complications not proven to be related to COVID-19.”
That patient is one of three who have been transferred off-Island. Two COVID-19 patients were transported to Boston by helicopter and a third maternity patient was taken off-Island by ferry in a private vehicle. The two other COVID-19 transfers have been discharged, according to Delgadillo.
On the state level Friday, the Department of Public Health reported that 289,636 COVID-19 tests had been conducted, with 62,205 confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide.
DPH reported 154 new deaths for a total of 3,716. The bulk of the state’s deaths, nearly two thirds, have been patients 80 or older and the average age of a hospitalized COVID-19 patient is 69. According to the state data, 6 percent of the confirmed cases are hospitalized.
Updated with current state information. — Ed.
“Gov. Charlie Baker issued an order Friday requiring everyone in Massachusetts to wear a face covering in public if they’re not able to socially distance from other people.”
Finally! Hopefully I will see more people wearing masks, now.
Why didn’t Baker put this in place weeks ago?
The new face mask requirement from the governor takes effect May 6. How on earth did he negotiate a cease fire with covid-19 until then? Remarkable!
I have a problem with the word “outdoors” in this order.
Nope– not gonna happen on my face. To me, “outdoors” means my back yard. It means anywhere I go on my bicycle. I can understand it for most urban areas, and I am not in favor of sacrificing old people or people with underlying medical conditions so the survivors can buy trinkets.
But, sometimes, a well intentioned idea just goes too far. Fortunately, on the island, we have reasonable local authorities.
Did you have “reasonable local authorities” aboard ship?
Hanley– are you referring to my time on board a naval ship ?
The “authorities” on board a naval vessel only follow the rules.
Both reasonable and unreasonable
We do?
Feilding– I do think the local authorities are reasonable. In Tisbury, the most unreasonable selectman did not seek re election in 2019. Of course there will be differences of opinion about things, but overall I give them a pretty good rating.
What great news! No one 70 or older has contracted the disease!
We don’t know that for sure. There are people who have the disease and are not hospitalized, and haven’t been tested because we still do not have enough tests, despite the lies from the top in Washington that we do.
Cue the face mask police in 3-2-1…
Does this apply to the nudist on Lucy Vincent beach.
Police in NYC are handing out masks. It would be nice if that was available here. I think the availability of masks is still the largest problem.
Redsox, go to YouTube and search “face mask handkerchief”. It’s so easy you’ll be amazed. No sewing, just folding. You need a handkerchief, bandana, or cloth napkin and 2 rubber bands, and that’s it!
PS The largest problem, from day one until now, is lack of tests.
Tests and Masks are for the frontline workers. Ill have to find a hanky I guess.
It’s really not that hard to do.
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