The Worcester Board of Health voted on Monday to lift its indoor mask mandate, but because one board member was not yet sworn in, the board did not actually achieve enough votes to approve the measure.
Board member Gary Rosen, who voted in favor of rescinding the mandate effective Feb. 18, had not officially taken an oath of office prior to the board’s Monday meeting, according to a Friday press release from the City Manager’s office.
Because of this, the 3-2 vote in favor was actually a tied 2-2 vote, so the measure to rescind the mandate did not receive majority approval.
The Board of Health will hold another meeting on Feb. 16 to vote again on a measure to lift the indoor mask requirement. If approved on that date, the measure will still go into effect on Feb. 18.
The mask mandate vote is the only item on the Feb. 16 meeting agenda. Rosen was sworn in on Feb. 10.
