Swansea lifting indoor mask mandate, making them optional

SWANSEA — The Swansea Board of Selectmen, together with Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein and the COVID Task Force, announce that the Town of Swansea has lifted its indoor mask policy for municipal buildings.

Effective immediately, face masks are now optional in all municipal buildings in town, however, it’s strongly recommended that unvaccinated or immunocompromised individuals continue to wear a mask. Increased cleaning protocols remain in place in municipal buildings.

The decision to lift the policy was made based on the reduction of the number of reported COVID-19 cases in Swansea, high vaccination rates among Swansea residents, and statewide hospitalization trends.

“The decision to lift our local mask mandate in our municipal buildings follows a recent decrease in COVID-19 cases and increase in community members receiving COVID-19 vaccinations,” Town Administrator Aronstein said. “With this announcement, we would also like to remind community members that the pandemic is still ongoing and to be mindful of the personal responsibility we all have to stay COVID-free and keep our families healthy.”

The Swansea Health Department continues to encourage residents to do the following to stay safe and reduce the spread of COVID-19:

-Get Vaccinated – Be aware of your vaccination status and be up-to-date depending on the COVID vaccine you received.

-Get Tested – If you become symptomatic, stay home and get tested. If your test is positive, follow the guidelines for isolation and quarantine. For the most up-to-date guidelines, visit mass.gov.

-Identify Close Contacts – If you do test positive, notify anyone you have spent more than 15 minutes with in an indoor setting during the 48 hours before the positive test or the onset of symptoms.

-Wear A Mask – Follow the current guidance on masking depending on where you are going, and your immune system. Make a personal decision based on the risk level.