Medford Lifts COVID-19 State Of Emergency

MEDFORD, MA — Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn rescinded the state of emergency order in Medford, effective at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

The order was declared March 17 and allowed the mayor and Board of Health to enact policies and strategies to slow the spread of the coronavirus within the city, protect the health and safety of residents and maintain the same level of essential services.

The order closed all city facilities, shifted restaurants to contactless, takeout-only operations and transitioned schools to a remote learning model.

Officials said Wednesday the virus is on the "retreat" in Medford due to a robust vaccination effort. All city facilities and restaurants have reopened, and Medford was among the first communities to get students and teachers back in the classroom.

"When I signed this Emergency Order last March, it was impossible to predict how long the pandemic would last, but thanks to the incredible hard work of our frontline workers, public health response team and of course, the residents of the City, we reached this milestone quicker than many other communities," Lungo-Koehn said. "We will continue to closely monitor the data and will make future decisions with the guidance of public health professionals and as always in the best interest of our residents."

In Medford, nearly 80 percent of vaccine-eligible residents have received at the least one dose, and nearly 70 percent of eligible residents are fully vaccinated. Among more vulnerable populations, namely seniors, 85 percent of people ages 65 and up have received at least one dose, and nearly 80 percent are fully vaccinated.

"The progress we’ve made vaccinating our residents is encouraging and rescinding the state of emergency will allow us to return to normal while still staying mindful of potential health risks," Board of Health Director MaryAnn O'Connor said. "The pandemic is certainly receding in the city, but it's important that we make informed decisions based on the data going forward."