In face of rising COVID-19 infection rate, Worcester institutes new mask, city employee vax mandates

WORCESTER, Mass. — The City of Worcester announced Friday that it will be requiring all city employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing effective November 1, the city manager said in a press conference. The second-largest city in Massachusetts will also require everyone to wear masks in indoor public spaces, including restaurants, supermarkets, offices, and entertainment facilities.

“The numbers are clear and the trend is real. COVID is still with us. The Delta variant is the dominant strain and it is striking at us with vengeance,” said City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr.

The mask mandate that applies to common areas takes effect on Monday, Augustus said. The order applies to everyone regardless of vaccination status, except for those who have a medical exemption.

The city has about 7,300 employees.

“We are now firmly in the third wave of COVID-19. The delta variant is exactly as contagious as expected. We are all paying for the decisions of the unvaccinated,” said Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty. “To the vaccinated, I just want to say ‘thank you.’”

Currently, 52% of Worcester residents are fully vaccinated and 60% have received at least one shot. But city and health officials said that’s not enough to fight back against COVID-19′s delta variant.

Health officials said local hospitals are already feeling the pressure of COVID-19′s return. And, they added, vaccinations are the only way to turn things around.

“This not going to be polio. We’re not going to get this eradicated anytime soon. But we can get it to a manageable number, a manageable amount of pressure on the health care system so we don’t have to make tough decisions about who gets a ventilator and who doesn’t,” said Dr. Eric Dickson of UMass Memorial Health.

The city has had a page set up on its website dedicated to COVID-19 vaccination information. No appointments are currently necessary at a number of walk-up vaccination clinics set up throughout the city by the Worcester Department of Health and Human Services. The schedule of days and times for those clinics is as follows:

• Youth Vax Fall Series, Worcester Youth Center, 326 Chandler St., Friday, 9/17, 4-7 p.m.
• Worcester Public Library, Main Branch, 3 Salem St., Saturday, 9/18, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• African Community Education (ACE) Festival, Elm Park Community School, 23 North Ashland St., 9/18, 12-4 p.m.
• Worcester Public Library, Main Branch, 3 Salem Square, Wednesday, 9/22, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
• Youth Vax Fall Series, Boys & Girls Club, 65 Boys & Girls Club Way, Friday, 9/24, 4-7 p.m.
• Worcester Public Library, Main Branch, 3 Salem Square, Saturday, 9/25, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• F.A.M. JAM! Family Arts and Music Festival, Elm Park, 9/25, 1-4 p.m.
• Worcester Public Library, Main Branch, 3 Salem Square, Wednesday, 9/29, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
• Youth Vax Fall Series, YMCA, 766 Main St., Friday, 10/1, 4-7 p.m.
• Youth Vax Fall Series, Girls Inc., 125 Providence St., Thursday, Oct. 7, 4-7 p.m.

The city has seen 10 consecutive weeks of increases in positive tests, the mayor said Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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