SALEM, MA – With rising case numbers and the expanding prevalence of the Delta variant of COVID-19, the City of Salem has announced several pro-active mitigation measures to help ensure the community stays safe, open, and strong this summer and fall.
- Subject to approval of the Board of Health on August 10th, masks will be required indoors for all businesses and City buildings open to the public. The effective date and end date for the measure pertaining to businesses will be determined by the Board at their meeting. The City will re-deploy appropriate signage and make both signage and masks available to businesses who request them. The mask requirement inside public buildings is effective Monday, August 23rd. Individuals who wish to wear masks prior to that date, in accordance with CDC guidance and recommendations, are always able to do so.
- The City has asked the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to resume targeted wastewater surveillance in high-risk parts of the City. For the last few months wastewater surveillance was being conducted on a city-wide basis, given the decline in Alpha variant cases.
- The City will resume daily updates on local COVID-19 case data, which had been issued weekly since June.
- The City is requesting that the Commonwealth extend the free COVID-19 “Stop the Spread” testing through the end of 2021, which had been scheduled to end October 31st.
- The City is working with municipal and school employees on a policy to require COVID-19 vaccination or twice weekly negative testing for all workers. All businesses in Salem, especially those that interact directly and in-person with the public and with visitors particularly, are encouraged to join in adopting a similar vaccination or negative-testing requirement policy for their employees. Businesses that do so will be included in the Keep Salem Safe, Open, and Strong campaign, as a safe place for customers to do business this fall. Employers interested in possibly having a mobile vaccination unit visit their place of business to vaccinate their workers can contact health@salem.com to arrange for a date.
- City boards and commissions are encouraged to continue meeting remotely until further notice and in no case resume in-person meetings until late November at the earliest.
The following actions are not currently under consideration. This list is included to help local business owners plan accordingly. The City has no intention at this time of implementing capacity restrictions, early closure times, or marketing intended to deter visitation. The primary focus of the City’s efforts over the next three months is on resuming high levels of mask usage and expanding vaccination up-take as extensively as possible, especially among front-line workers.
“Our top priority is ensuring the safety, health, well-being of our residents and in particular those who are not able to be vaccinated yet,” said Mayor Kim Driscoll. “The science is clear that masks help reduce transmission and vaccines help reduce the severity of illness. Together, they are a powerful barrier to the spread of COVID-19, including the Delta variant. We strongly urge all of our businesses to join the City and Salem Public Schools in helping to keep Salem safe by requiring their own employees be vaccinated or, if they are not vaccinated, to provide twice weekly negative COVID tests during the next few months. We’re prepared to provide masks, vaccines, and tests to help make this possible. This is going to have to be a team effort, so we can do our part to keep Salem safe, open, and strong.”
“With the latest uptick in positive COVID cases associated with the Delta variant, it is critical that Salem remains vigilant in the public health success we have achieved during this pandemic,” said Dr. Jeremy Schiller, chair of the Salem Board of Health. “Please take the precautions that we know work. Get vaccinated. Wear a mask in public indoor spaces.”
Current COVID-19 case and vaccination data for Salem
Currently active local cases as of 8/6/2021: 45
Weekly new cases as of 8/6/2021: 42 (+16 from week prior)
Two-week percent positivity through 7/31/2021: 1.4% (MA rate = 2.1%)
Two-week new case rate through 7/31/2021: 6.3 (MA rate = 8.5)
Total population with at least one dose of vaccine: 68%
Total eligible population with at least one dose: 77%
Residents age 12-15 with at least one dose: 55%
Residents age 16-19 with at least one dose: 43%
Residents age 20-29 with at least one dose: 49%
