HOPKINTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A group of parents called on Gov. Charlie Baker to relax outdoor mask restrictions for children after he did so for adults last month.
Bring Back Kids, in a letter sent to Gov. Baker, asked for the removal of outdoor mask requirements for sports, camps, and other activities, even if kids are unable to stay 6 feet apart. The group also asked that restrictions on sharing books and toys be lifted.
“The risk of getting COVID outdoors is extremely low and it’s also important for children to engage with each other,” said parent Dana Grimley.
Parent Kristen Borzumato told 7NEWS her 3-year-old daughter hates wearing a mask and throws it on the ground every time she makes her wear it. Borzumato added that her older daughter, who plays softball, has a hard time breathing with a mask on.
Dr. Richard Malley, an infectious disease specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital, advised parents to use caution while making decisions regarding their children and masks.
“If you have a bunch of children who are all running around on a soccer field very close to one another, that risk of transmission from one child to the other is not negligible,” said Malley.
Not all parents are comfortable with restrictions being lifted just yet.
“We’ve been pretty conservative with the restrictions since the beginning and we feel that we’ve all been so careful for so long that we will continue to have our kids wear masks until everybody in our family is vaccinated, including the kids,” said parent Beth Gismondi, who did not allow her son to attend pre-school this year, as masks were not required.
In response to the flood of requests to lift outdoor mask restrictions for children, Gov. Baker earlier this week said, “we will certainly take a look at the information made available […] and if we need to make a change, we will.”
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)