The City of Newton’s COVID-19 state of emergency will end on May 11, according to an announcement from Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller in her newsletter on Monday.
“This decision comes at a time of hope, recovery and progress in public health,” Fuller’s newsletter reads. “While COVID-19 continues to circulate, we now have many ways to manage the virus. This includes vaccines and boosters, treatments and therapies, testing and masking, and support for staying home when ill.”
Along with lifting the state of emergency, Fuller announced that the vaccine requirement for city employees is also expiring, effective immediately.
Fuller initially announced the state of emergency on March 17, 2020, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first Newton resident tested positive for COVID-19 on March 9, 2020, just a week prior to the announcement of the state of emergency
The city experienced three spikes of the virus during the state of emergency—one in the initial months of the pandemic and two during the turn of the new year in 2021 and 2022, according to the city’s COVID-19 dashboard.
Over time, the city lessened its COVID-19 restrictions, including lifting the indoor mask mandate for public spaces on Feb. 18, 2022.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention categorized Newton as a low-risk area for COVID-19 in March 2022.“As blossoms and daffodils emerge in the spring of 2023, I remember the dark shadow of the pandemic,” the newsletter reads. “I thank the employees of the City and Newton Public Schools for helping so many endure so much. I am grateful that we can now lift the Emergency Declaration.”
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