‘We must remain vigilant’ as state’s COVID public health emergency ends Thursday, officials say

BOSTON — Massachusetts on Thursday will end its Covid public health emergency in line with federal guidelines, marking a milestone in the battle against the virus, state public health officials said Tuesday.

That will include rescinding a statewide order of requiring masks for all providers and visitors in healthcare settings, Massachusetts Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robert Goldstein told reporters early Tuesday afternoon.

“We are, after years of hard work, in a better place,” Goldstein said. He added that public health officials will “continue to prioritize prevention in everything we do as we adapt to living with Covid-19.”

However, Goldstein emphasized that “This is not the end of the pandemic. This is not the end of Covid.” Rather, it’s the end of the emergency phase of the pandemic, he said.

Access to the Covid vaccine will remain, and the cost of the vaccine will still fall to the federal government, Goldstein said.

“Nobody should be limited in their access to vaccines,” he said.

Covid transmission levels are currently down across the state, with no county experiencing high transmission of the virus since February, Goldstein said. The World Health Organization has also declared that the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a global emergency.

Healthcare facilities may return to masking as necessary should an uptick in transmission levels arise, he said.

“The risk is extremely low and bringing the mask mandate down is following the science and the data that’s available,” he said.

If and when Covid levels increase in the future, masking will continue to be an option, he said.

Goldstein said the state dealt with the pandemic “incredibly well.”

“We were prepared,” he said.

State public health officials “remain committed to monitoring and tracking COVID-19,” Goldstein said.

He also urged citizens to remain home when ill to prevent others from getting sick.

“We must remain vigilant as the state’s Covid public emergency ends,” he said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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