The Oxford Board of Health is considering implementing a town-wide curfew in response to the heightened risk of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a serious mosquito-borne illness. During a contentious meeting on Wednesday, the board voted to recommend new restrictions to mitigate the threat of EEE, which include ending all outdoor activities by 6 p.m. in September and 5 p.m. in October.
The proposed curfew follows a recent case of EEE in an Oxford resident, prompting Massachusetts officials to categorize the town as being at “critical risk” for the disease. The recommendations align with state and federal guidelines aimed at reducing exposure to mosquitoes, which are most active from dusk until dawn.
The decision has sparked significant frustration among local parents and sports coaches, who are concerned that the curfew will disrupt youth sports schedules. Practices typically run from late afternoon into the early evening, and the new restrictions would effectively cut short the season for many teams. Heidi Pizzotti, a parent of a player in the Oxford-Webster Youth Football & Cheer Program, expressed concerns about the lack of available indoor facilities for such large groups. “Finding a space to accommodate hundreds of kids is going to be nearly impossible,” Pizzotti said.
Similarly, Greta Keegan, a cheerleading parent, lamented the impact on children’s activities, recalling previous disruptions. “We’ve already affected these kids’ lives once before; now we’re facing another shutdown,” Keegan said.
Webster, a neighboring town, has also introduced similar curfew measures and conducted town-wide mosquito spraying on Tuesday night.
The Oxford Board of Health is set to finalize their decision at a meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday.