Littleton Board of Health Authorizes Emergency EEE Spray Waiver for All Four Schools

LITTLETON — September 9, 2024 — Littleton Board of Health votes unanimously to spray school fields and cap evening outdoor activities as EEE threat hits high level. The four-member board convened an emergency session Monday, September 9, four days after a confirmed Eastern equine encephalitis case in neighboring Acton prompted the state to elevate Littleton's risk classification from low to high. Health Director Francis Daigle reported that Central Mosquito Control had already conducted a town-wide ultra-low-volume spray on the night of September 6, covering nearly all roads except three streets near Fort Pond. The board voted 4-0 to authorize an emergency pesticide waiver allowing barrier spraying at all four public schools before the standard 48-hour parental notification window closes, with a Thursday application the working target. In a second 4-0 vote, the board adopted Massachusetts DPH high-level response recommendations, and in a third unanimous vote approved a sliding-scale recommended end time for evening outdoor activities — starting at approximately 7 p.m. this week and stepping back 15 minutes each week — effective through the first hard frost. Frank Cornyn of Central Mosquito Control told the board that despite declining mosquito populations, late-season virus risk remains elevated: "The population's low, but the virus levels tend to be higher."