Massachusetts should reinstate mask mandate, Boston University professor says in COVID oversight hearing

Massachusetts should temporarily reintroduce a statewide mask mandate, a Boston University infectious diseases specialist testified on Thursday to state lawmakers as she outlined the alarming transmissibility of the new Omicron coronavirus variant.

Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, an associate professor at the Boston University School of Medicine, described a mask mandate as a “low-hanging fruit” policy tool that officials can wield as health experts warily monitor skyrocketing Omicron cases across the globe. Bhadelia — who’s also the founding director of BU’s Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy and Research — lauded a pandemic action plan sent by 13 sent lawmakers to Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday, which urged him to rethink his opposition to a universal indoor mask mandate.

The plan — endorsed by more than 120 public health and medical experts, as well as 30 community organizations — also urged Baker to expand vaccination efforts to frontline communities and enhance workforce safety guidelines. It was designed to “avoid crises of hospital resources, acute and chronic disease, deaths, long-term disability, and orphaning of children,” according to a news release from state Sen. Becca Rausch’s office.

Bhadelia said there are “some really critical point” in that plan.

“Look, we’re a really highly a vaccinated state and I know that there is pandemic fatigue setting and people are thinking, ‘Why at this point do we need mask mandates?’” Bhadelia told the Joint Committee on COVID-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management Thursday. “The reason why is because we have to strike a new balance. Omicron’s changed the equation.”