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Mask Guidance Update

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Update
Posted on: September 22, 2021 - 8:29am

BACKGROUND:

In July, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance on masking aligned with county level community transmission.1 Local decision-makers were encouraged to consider the county level of community transmission when making decisions about masking. CDC recommends that in areas with “High” or “Substantial” transmission, everyone should wear a mask in public, indoor settings and in areas of “Moderate” or “Low” transmission, unvaccinated people should wear a mask in public, indoor settings. As community transmission levels increased to “Substantial” and “High” within our community, the Town of South Windsor implemented local mask mandate in the absence of a state mandate.

This guidance was developed to support a consistent, science-based approach to lifting municipal indoor mask mandates within the region as data and conditions change.

REQUIRED Criteria:

  • County level community transmission, as defined by CDC, is sustained (4 consecutive weeks) in the “Low” range2.
  • Town level COVID rates, as defined by CT DPH, is sustained (4 consecutive weeks) at 9 cases/100,000 or fewer.

Additional Considerations:

  • CDC models project continued downward trend in case rates
  • Hospitalizations by county3
  • Percentage of positive SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic nucleic acid amplification tests in the last 7 days4
  • Relatively high vaccination rates among those eligible for vaccination
  • Limited number of outbreaks
  • The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern expected to have a substantial impact on transmission rates

According to the CDC, “SARS-CoV-2 infection is transmitted predominately by inhalation of respiratory droplets generated when people cough, sneeze, sing, talk, or breathe. CDC recommends community use of masks, specifically non-valved multi-layer cloth masks, to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Masks are primarily intended to reduce the emission of virus-laden droplets (“source control”), which is especially relevant for asymptomatic or presymptomatic infected wearers who feel well and may be unaware of their infectiousness to others, and who are estimated to account for more than 50% of transmissions. Masks also help reduce inhalation of these droplets by the wearer (“filtration for wearer protection”). The community benefit of masking for SARS-CoV-2 control is due to the combination of these effects; individual prevention benefit increases with increasing numbers of people using masks consistently and correctly.”5

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019cov/more/aboutcovidcountycheck/index.html
  2. Prevention strategies should only be relaxed or lifted after several weeks of continuous sustained improvement in the level of community transmission. (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7030e2.htm
  3. “CDC recommends public health departments and health care institutions monitor the available number and fraction of staffed inpatient and intensive care unit beds and develop thresholds, based on local health care system usage and remaining capacity, that would trigger community-wide application of layered prevention strategies.” https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7030e2.htm
  4. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7030e2.htm
  5. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/masking-science-sars-cov2.html