Hundreds weigh in on potential mask mandate in Waltham

WALTHAM, Mass. — Waltham residents weighed in on an indoor mask mandate the city is considering at a Board of Health meeting Wednesday.

The majority of speakers during public comment opposed the mandate.

“It is wrong to force somebody to do something against their will,” resident Carly Downs said to board members. “It is wrong to say you have the authority when you know you don’t.”

Several residents, however, began the meeting in favor of requiring masks in all indoor businesses and public spaces.

“I can only imagine the damage that these masks are doing to children,” said James Murphy. “Children naturally smile. Now, they’re looking at all these people, even their parents, and they have this thing on their face. They are going to be damaged.”

“We need to follow the best scientific practices that we have at our disposal,” said City Councilor Jonathan Paz. “And that means that we actually pass this mask mandate, not because it’s fun, not because it’s this comfortable thing I want to have on my face, but because it’s how we protect people, how we protect each other.”

“When people choose to not wear a mask, they are taking away the choice of other people to try to remain safe indoors,” said Stan Yen, also in favor of a mandate. “And out of consideration for our fellow community members, it seems to be in the best interest for all of us to try to take care of one another.”

At times, the meeting got heated, with boos for one speaker and outbursts toward board members.

“You’re supposed to be a doctor?” said one man in opposition to the mandate, pointing to a masked Board Chair Dr. Henry Merola. “You know that mask doesn’t do a damn thing.”

Merola told Boston 25 News the Board of Health received nearly 700 emails after asking residents for their feedback. About 60 percent of the emails were in favor of a mandate, with the remaining 40 percent against it.

“A lot of people feel very passionately about their rights,” Merola said. “But at the same time, we have to be passionate about our vulnerable and public welfare and the safety of the city.”

While COVID-19 rates in many communities are rising, the numbers in Waltham are not, Merola said.

“We’re not at a point now where we should really put out mandates,” Merola said, “because we have much better control, we’re trending down, two-thirds of the city is vaccinated.”

But that could change. While some residents demanded a vote Wednesday night, the board moved to table a vote on a mandate until its next meeting Sept. 29, unless an emergency requires a sooner meeting.

Merola said, while some neighboring cities have implemented mask mandates, enforcing them is tricky.

“We will discuss this amongst ourselves,” Merola said. “But we’re probably going to follow the statistics over the next month or two before we would act any further on this.”

Download the free Boston 25 News app for up-to-the-minute push alerts