Mask confusion reigns

#Middlebury #Masks #COVID19

By MARJORIE NEEDHAM

We try to provide our readers with the most up to date information about the COVID-19 pandemic, but it can be a challenge to present that information when even we are struggling to understand exactly what is recommended. Take the most recent Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) guidelines. These guidelines were issued after the May 13, 2021, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) changes in mask-wearing guidance. In response, mask-wearing rules for residents and visitors to our state who have been fully vaccinated were relaxed on May 19, 2021. As of that date, fully vaccinated residents are not required to wear masks indoors or outdoors, with certain exceptions.

We are about to share the DPH guidelines with you, but not all may make sense. The guidelines, presented on four pages headed “What You Need to Know: COVID-19 Vaccination, Mask-Wearing and Social Distancing” seem to offer conflicting information. For example, page 2 tells us “All people, vaccinated or unvaccinated, need to wear a mask when they are inside a K-12 school building or childcare facility.” Page 3 states all vaccinated adults and children “can feel comfortable with no mask or social distancing both indoors and out” without mentioning there are exceptions, such as inside school buildings.

Acknowledging there may be issues, here are the basics from the four sheets:

Where everyone, vaccinated or not, needs to wear a mask:

• School buildings or childcare facilities, as mentioned earlier
• Healthcare facilities (including doctors’ offices, hospitals, emergency care settings, settings that provide physical/occupational therapy, and other patient care settings).
• Assisted living, correctional or other congregate living settings (such as group homes and residential care homes, homeless and other shelters). Nursing homes must follow CMS requirements for mask use.
• In transportation hubs such as an airport, bus or train station or riding public or privately-hired transportation, such as a train, bus, airplane, or ride-sharing services (such as Uber, Lyft, taxi)
• If asked to do so in a public or private establishment, if required by their employer in their workplace, or when organizers require masks at any event.

Reasons for wearing masks vary but include being in settings with people who aren’t able to be vaccinated due to age or a health condition, being in settings with people at a higher risk for severe complications if they become infected, being in settings that make social distancing difficult and may include unvaccinated and infected people, and an owner or operator’s preference to exercise caution in protecting health without needing to keep people distanced or determine whether or not a person is vaccinated.

Fully vaccinated people, in addition to not needing masks or social distancing indoors or out, do not need to quarantine if they are exposed to someone with COVID-19 and do not have any symptoms themselves. They do not need to get tested routinely, before or after travel, or when they are exposed to someone with COVID-19 and do not have symptoms themselves.

Unvaccinated people are required to wear a mask indoors. They should continue to wear a mask outdoors when they are in a crowd, at a large event, or in a public place where keeping their distance from others is difficult. They also should continue to quarantine if they are exposed to someone with COVID-19 and they should continue to get tested when they are exposed to someone with COVID-19, before or after travel, and if they are part of a screening testing program (e.g. as part of their work).

The fourth page of the guidelines focuses on guidance for business owners and event operators. The entire document can be found at https://tinyurl.com/yk2tnpj7.

Here in Middlebury, we asked two business owners what they have decided to do about mask-wearing in their businesses. Tony Mascia of Middlebury’s Best on Straits Turnpike said he will continue to ask customers to wear masks. “You have to wear masks on a bus,” Mascia said. “My store is very small with square footage about the same as a bus.”

Over on Middlebury Road, Robert Heusted, owner of Olde Town Spirits and Middlebury Fine Wine and Spirits, has replaced his “masks required” signs with signs that say “Masks appreciated. Social distancing recommended.” He said he was encouraging but not requiring people to wear masks. “We’re just trying to be respectful,” he said.