The COVID-19 pandemic is over two years old now and much has changed in Massachusetts and throughout the country, as we have had to get used to a new way of living. Wearing masks, social distancing, working from home, facing unemployment, vaccinations, increased gas & food prices are just some of the changes that have taken place during the pandemic, and for many, these changes are still difficult to deal with.

Get our free mobile app

It goes without saying that many folks are trying to get back to normal living as people are going out more whether it be concerts, restaurants, vacations, etc. A sense of normalcy is what people are craving more than ever. COVID is still around here in Massachusetts and beyond (Ringo Starr just canceled his show at Tanglewood due to two members in his band testing positive for COVID) and some businesses and organizations are still requiring people to wear masks indoors and in some cases are requiring proof of vaccination. I just spoke with a gentleman recently who is running an indoor church concert series and he mentioned that mask-wearing along with proof of vaccination is required to attend the shows.

Indoor Mask-Wearing Guidance Will See a Change in Massachusetts Come July 1. 

I read an article last week stating that indoor mask-wearing guidance in Massachusetts is going to be eased up beginning July 1, 2022. What this means is whether one is vaccinated or not, it will be up to each individual whether he or she chooses to wear a mask indoors in Massachusetts. It was previously recommended that unvaccinated individuals wear a mask indoors according to ABC6. However, if one has a weakened immune system or lives with people that have weakened immune systems or are at risk of severe diseases it is recommended that those individuals still wear a mask indoors according to mass.gov.

What Do You Think About This Upcoming Mask Advisory Change for Massachusetts?

As previously mentioned, this change will occur on July 1. I know I'll probably get criticized for my opinion but I think it's not a bad idea to continue to wear masks indoors particularly if one isn't vaccinated. You never know who could be near you. That individual could have a weakened immune system or could be a cancer patient or could have any number of things that puts that individual at a greater risk of contracting COVID. According to the ABC6 article, Massachusetts cites its 84 % vaccination rate for all eligible residents and recent improvement in COVID 19 indicators as part of the reasoning for the decision. So, do you think it's a good idea to leave the indoor mask-wearing up to us or do you think we are jumping the gun or is it not that black and white?

15 Ways You Can Help People in Ukraine Right Now

As Americans watch events unfold in Ukraine, many wonder how they can help. Below is a list of organizations responding to the crisis in Ukraine along with information on how you can support their various missions. 

Answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

Vaccinations for COVID-19 began being administered in the U.S. on Dec. 14, 2020. The quick rollout came a little more than a year after the virus was first identified in November 2019. The impressive speed with which vaccines were developed has also left a lot of people with a lot of questions. The questions range from the practical—how will I get vaccinated?—to the scientific—how do these vaccines even work?

Keep reading to discover answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions.

More From WUPE