Health officials, schools prepare for lifted restrictions

Date: 5/25/2021

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY – On May 17, Gov. Charlie Baker made the announcement that any remaining COVID-19 restrictions will officially be lifted starting on May 29.

The state’s face covering order, which was put into effect a little over a year ago, will also be rescinded starting on May 29, and the State of Emergency will be lifted on June 15.

With these announcements about to be set in place, local boards of health like Southampton’s are trying to prepare for a closer return to normal.

Geraldine Swanson, the public health director for Southampton, told Reminder Publishing that the Board of Health has to meet with the town’s Selectboard and the town administer about how they plan on opening up.

She added that the town will speak to other department heads and monitor how other towns are approaching a reopening procedure before making a decision themselves.

“We were all planning on Aug. 1,” said Swanson, when referring to when Gov. Baker’s original date for a statewide reopening would occur. “This became a bit of a surprise – a good surprise.”

According to Swanson, the town will be able to resume in-person meetings again very soon, but emphasized how it could take people a little while to adjust to the reopening.  “I think everybody is ‘Zoomed out,’” she added.

Southampton is currently in the gray area for COVID-19 cases, which means their numbers are low, according to Swanson. “I think people are anxious to have things open up,” said Swanson.

The town still plans on conducting their Annual Town Meeting outdoors on June 12.

As for Easthampton, Public Health Director Brianna Eichstaedt said that the city plans to follow exactly what Baker’s guidelines are, which means on May 29, the city will not require masks and industry limits will be lifted.

“We’re going to be following the state’s lead unless the numbers tell us otherwise,” said Eichstaedt.
As of May 17, there are 15 active cases in Easthampton, and 47 percent of 01027 residents are fully vaccinated. On May 21, Public Health Nurse Amy Hardt updated local leaders and Reminder Publishing that the city had zero active cases and achieved a milestone of zero new cases during the week prior.

The Baker Administration also made an announcement to no longer require face coverings for youth athletes 18 and under while playing outdoor sports. On May 29, all youth and amateur sports restrictions will be lifted.

Also effective on May 18, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Early Education and Care updated its guidance to no longer require masks for outdoor activities like recess and to allow for the sharing of objects in classrooms, in both K-12 and childcare settings.  

According to Allison LeClair, the superintendent of Easthampton Public Schools, the Easthampton School Committee is hosting a meeting on May 25 to discuss how they plan on approaching the situation. “We have a School Committee policy on mask wearing, so the committee will need to rescind a portion of it, if they choose,” said LeClair.

Meanwhile, Michael Sullivan, interim superintendent of Hampshire Regional School District, told Reminder Publishing that all five districts that he oversees have implemented the no mask outside guidance right away. He added that school committees may wish to discuss the guidelines further in their upcoming meetings.

Reminder Publishing reached out to health officials in Westhampton but did not receive a response as of press time.