On Monday, March 7th, the Town of Essex Selectboard voted unanimously (5-0) to lift the Face Covering Mandate Rule effective March 14, 2022. Latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the state have Chittenden County at a "medium" level on the COVID-19 Community Levels tool. The tool was designed to assist communities in deciding what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. The "high" category is the only level at which the CDC recommends that masks be worn indoors. At the state level, the Vermont Department of Health announced on March 3rd that it will no longer recommend public indoor masking as of March 14, regardless of what ranking the CDC has at county levels.
Masks are optional but encouraged in all municipal buildings, with the exception of Brownell Library where they continue to be required.
Businesses may still maintain their own safety polices, which includes municipal buildings. Lifting the mandate does not prohibit businesses from requiring masks or proof of vaccination when the town-wide mandate expires.
To read the full article, please visit the Town of Essex website.