Masks will be required in all private businesses in Worcester starting next week, as city officials say the community is in the midst of a new COVID-19 surge. Mayor Joseph Petty said the city is “firmly in the third wave” of coronavirus.”We are all paying for the decisions of the unvaccinated,” he said. City Manager Ed Augustus said Worcester has seen 10 consecutive weeks with increasing counts of new cases. “The numbers are clear and the trend is real. COVID is still with us. The delta variant is the dominant strain and it is striking at us with a vengeance,” Augustus said. In response to the surge in cases, Augustus announced Friday that all city employees will be required to get vaccinated by Nov. 1 or submit to weekly negative test results. He also announced that masks will be required indoors at private businesses in the city starting on Monday, as ordered by city Medical Director Michael Hirsh. The order includes supermarkets and restaurants, Augustus said. A second public health order will require employers to report any positive COVID-19 tests from their workplace.