WEST LEBANON — As of Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention no longer recommends masks for most people in the four counties of the Upper Valley.
Earlier this week, the CDC continued to recommend masking in all but Windsor County due to levels of COVID-19 in the community. Criteria include the number of hospital beds being used by COVID-19 patients, COVID-19-related hospital admissions and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area to determine the community level of COVID-19. Levels can be low, medium or high.
On Thursday evening, the CDC downgraded the other three counties in the Upper Valley — Grafton and Sullivan in New Hampshire and Vermont’s Orange County — from high to medium community levels of COVID-19. Windsor County remained at medium.
At that level, the CDC recommends that people who are at high risk of severe illness due to COVID-19 ask their doctor whether or not they should continue to wear masks. The CDC also recommends that people with symptoms, a positive test or exposure to someone with COVID-19 wear masks.
The CDC continues to urge people to stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and to get tested if they have symptoms.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services stopped recommending masks statewide on Feb. 23 and officials told public schools that they must drop mask mandates in accordance with that public health guidance.
Vermont officials announced on Thursday that they would stop recommending indoor masks beginning on March 14.
The Upper Valley mask situation is a mixed bag at the moment. Some schools, especially those in New Hampshire, have already dropped mandates or announced days when masks would no longer be required, but others continue to mandate them.
Some Upper Valley municipalities also still have mask mandates in place, although many will be up for reconsideration soon. For example, the Lebanon City Council will hold a public hearing on its mask ordinance March 16.