Kids Playing School Sports Must Still Wear Masks, Says MIAA

Starting Friday, April 30, you no longer have to use a face covering outside in Massachusetts if you can practice social distancing, thanks to the relaxed mask mandates. However, high school athletes and spectators are still required to keep their masks on outside even if they can be socially distant.

WWLP/22 News Springfield reports that It’s a Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association guidance. Locally, all spring sport athletes and spectators will be required to keep their masks on even if they can be socially distanced.

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association says the state has not made any changes to the mask requirement in relation to high school sports. Any change would also need a vote by the MIAA Board.

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Tara Bennet of the MIAA had this to say:

Be patient; please understand that local schools are doing the best that they can to provide what they can for their students and student athletes and really be excited that we have spring sports.

Masks for children have been a controversial topic right from the beginning. And now with the Commonwealth's relaxed mask mandate, it's even more controversial. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association says the mask mandate still stands and they will not be changing it at this time and local school districts plan to follow it.

Some doctors have stated that masks, in some cases, are still necessary outside to protect unvaccinated people.

For the record, Connecticut does not require face masks when actively playing and Maine does not require one at all.

For more on the story, check it out at WWLP's website here.