Dear Colleagues,
As communicated earlier this week, the MBL has developed guidelines for mask use to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Masks are currently in use by individuals working on campus. This memo serves to provide further guidance on mask use at the MBL and to outline how we are complying with a new mandate from the Town of Falmouth.
On Monday, April 27, the Falmouth Board of Selectmen, in a joint meeting with the Board of Health, approved an order that requires all individuals working or shopping at essential businesses to wear a cloth face covering such as a fabric mask, scarf, or bandana. The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators, which should be left for medical professionals and first responders.
Specific instances where masks are to be used include:
- Employees interacting with the public, handling food, and when within six feet of a co-worker;
- Customers, vendors, and members of the public entering the interior of an essential business;
- Persons, including residents and the public, entering the interior of residential multifamily dwellings containing common entryways
The full order is available HERE.
At the MBL, masks must be used by all staff and contractors working in areas where it is difficult to maintain a social distance of six feet from others. These include areas where more than one person is required to work on a task or a shared office or laboratory space. Masks should also be worn when encountering individuals in breakrooms, bathrooms, or hallways, or upon entering any MBL building. Masks are not required outside MBL buildings except in situations where circumstances make it difficult to maintain a six-foot separation.
If you are working alone in a laboratory, office, or other space, wearing a mask is not required.
We will continue to evaluate best practices for mask use at the MBL in accordance with guidance from local, state, and federal government experts and share any updates or changes with you. In the meantime, please contact safety@mbl.edu with questions or concerns.
See links below for additional information on how to properly wear a cloth face covering or mask.
Advisory Regarding Face Coverings and Cloth Masks (MA Department of Public Health)
Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19 (CDC)
Paul Speer
Chief Operating Officer