City to Lift Mask Policy in Municipal Buildings

New Bedford, Massachusetts – With the recent precipitous drop in COVID-19 transmission in New Bedford, Mayor Jon Mitchell has decided to lift the policy requiring the use of masks in the public areas of municipal buildings, such as City Hall and public libraries. The mask policy will be lifted as of 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18. Mayor Mitchell is grateful to everyone who has observed the mask requirement since its establishment by executive order in August 2021.

COVID-19 cases in New Bedford have fallen dramatically over the past five weeks. The City hit its peak of daily cases on Jan. 7, when 562 cases were reported over the previous 24-hour period. On Tuesday, Feb. 15, just 17 cases were reported in the previous 24 hours, a 97-percent drop from the peak.

The New Bedford Health Department is continuing with other pandemic response efforts, including the promotion of COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, which have proven extremely effective at preventing severe COVID outcomes. The Health Department also is continuing to monitor transmission risk and the emergence of new variants that could require additional safeguards.