The town of Hamden removed the requirement for masks to be worn within indoor public spaces last Friday.

Incumbent Hamden mayor Curt Balzano Leng rescinded the emergency mandate amid lower cases of COVID-19 across the town. Residents are no longer required to wear masks in any indoor public space. Although, this does not currently apply to government buildings and facilities.

For General Manager at Mikro Depot Michael Dwyer, the removal of the requirement is a breath of fresh air for the Hamden community.

“They [people in Hamden] feel like it’s kind of a relief, it’s a little more back to normal,” Dwyer said. “And that’s the whole thing everybody has been talking about since this whole thing has started. They’ve been saying ‘when are we going to get back to normal.’ I feel like a little more people will feel that ease.”

However, at Quinnipiac University, the indoor mask mandate remains. Many students have seen some change since last semester when masks were required outside, though some are looking to see a further cautious switch of policy the town’s decision.

Samantha Perley, a first-year nursing major, believes that Hamden has set a precedent for the school to follow.

“If the masks are helping then they are, but if the town doesn’t have to do it, then I think we should be close to follow,” Perley said. “Of course, it’s up to the school.”

Another student, second-year law & society major Mateo Rodriguez Barrantes says the university should wait before making any major changes.

“I feel like the university should end up rescinding its mask mandate but not yet,” Barrantes said. “I would say possibly waiting until next semester, or even after that.”

Since the beginning of the fall semester, the university has seen 51 positive COVID-19 cases, with three current active cases as of Monday, Nov. 1. While the number of cases remains low, the university has not addressed the future of masks on campus.

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