BOSTON
- Tuesday, January 5, 2021 - In an effort to reduce the further spread of
COVID-19 after the holidays and its impact on Boston's health care system
and essential services, Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the City of
Boston will remain in a modified Phase Two, Step Two of the Reopening
Massachusetts plan for at least three more weeks. The current
state of reopening in Boston includes restrictions announced by both the
City and State in mid-December and can be found on Boston.gov/reopening.
"We
are in one of the most serious points of the COVID-19 pandemic so far. Our
case numbers are concerning and our hospital numbers continue to be higher
than we'd like," said Mayor Walsh. "Consistent with our cautious
approach since the beginning of this crisis, we are extending this pause in
reopening for at least another three weeks. This is not about targeting
specific sectors as the cause of viral spread, but an effort to reduce
overall activity happening outside people's homes. I urge everyone to do
their part so that we can slow the spread of COVID-19 and eventually lift
these restrictions."
The
City of Boston had been in Step One of Phase Three of the Reopening
Massachusetts plan since July 6 before returning to a modified Step Two of
Phase Two on December 16, 2020. Boston has been experiencing a steady
increase in COVID-19 cases among its residents since Thanksgiving, with the
citywide positive test rate at 8.8 percent for the week ending on December
30, 2020, up from 6.5 percent for the prior week. The percentage of
occupied adult non-surge ICU beds at Boston hospitals is at 93 percent as
of January 3, 2021.
Consistent
with City and State guidance, gathering limits remain at 10 people for
indoor settings and 25 people for outdoor settings for both private and
public spaces.
Read
the Boston Public Health Commission's "Order Establishing Supplemental
COVID-19 Restrictions in the City of Boston."
The following industries in the City of Boston
are required to remain closed for at least three weeks (January
27, 2021):
- Indoor fitness centers and
health clubs, including gyms using alternative spaces. One-on-one
personal training sessions are allowed.
- Movie theaters
- Museums
- Aquariums
- Indoor recreational and
athletic facilities (except for youth 18 and under)
- This does not apply to
collegiate or professional sports.
- Indoor pools may remain open
for all ages under pre-registration format structure limited to one
person per swim lane.
- Indoor recreational venues with
potential for low-contact (batting cages, driving ranges, bowling
alleys, rock-climbing)
- Sightseeing and other organized
tours (bus tours, duck tours, harbor cruises, whale watching)
- Indoor historical spaces &
sites
- Indoor event spaces (meeting
rooms, ballrooms, private party rooms, social clubs)
- Indoor and outdoor gaming
arcades associated with gaming devices
The following industries in the City of Boston are allowed
to remain open with the following restrictions in place for at
least three weeks (January 27, 2021):
- Indoor dining in restaurants
may remain in operation with restricted bar seating. The 90 minute
limit on seatings to reduce crowding and prevent the spread of
COVID-19 will be strictly enforced. No member of any dining party may
remain in a restaurant for more than 90 minutes in any calendar day.
Ancillary activities such as pool tables, darts, trivia, etc. are
prohibited.
- Bar seating is prohibited
unless express written approval is issued by Boston's Licensing
Board, after licensees submit a Bar
Seating Plan for review and approval.
- Indoor non-athletic
instructional classes in arts, education & life sciences for
persons 18 years and older may continue to operate within the
10-person capacity limit.
- Outdoor event spaces used for
gatherings and celebrations within the 25-person capacity limit,
including those in parks, reservations, and other outdoor spaces not
designated in Phase Four.
- Outdoor theaters and outdoor
performance venues may continue to operate within the 25-person
capacity limit.
- Motion picture, television and
streaming production may continue to operate.
Per State guidance in effect since December 26, 2020, the
following industries in the City of Boston are currently allowed to
operate with the following restrictions in place:
- Office
spaces may remain open at 25 percent capacity. Employers are
strongly encouraged to allow employees to work from home as much as
possible.
- Indoor dining in restaurants
may remain in operation at 25 percent of seating capacity (calculated
by the occupancy load as stated on a licensee's certificate of
inspection issued under the State Building Code. Workers and staff are
excluded from the occupancy count.)
- Close contact personal services
may remain open at 25 percent capacity (workers and staff are excluded
from the occupancy count.)
- Places of worship may remain
open at 25 percent capacity (workers and staff are excluded from the
occupancy count.)
- Retail businesses may remain
open at 25 percent capacity (workers and staff are excluded from the
occupancy count.)
- Golf facilities may remain open
at 25 percent capacity (for indoor spaces)
As
a reminder, the following State orders remain in effect to reduce the
transmission of the virus:
- Temporary
capacity and gathering limits: 10 persons indoors and 25
persons outdoors for both private homes and event venues and public
spaces.
- Face coverings order: face
masks or cloth face coverings are required in all public places,
whether indoors or outdoors, even where they are able to maintain 6 feet
of distance from others.
- Travel
order: all visitors entering Massachusetts, including
returning residents are required to:
- Complete the Massachusetts
Travel Form prior to arrival, unless visiting from a lower-risk
state designated by the Department of Public Health.
- Quarantine for 10 days or
produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up
to 72-hours prior to arrival in Massachusetts.
- Stay-at-Home
Advisory: residents of Massachusetts are advised to stay home
between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Throughout
the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Boston has been steadfast in its
commitment to supporting the small business community. To date, the Office
of Economic Development has issued more than $13.3M in direct grants to
3,915 businesses in Boston. The
Reopen Boston Fund, still accepting applications, can help with
the expenses of safely opening and operating businesses. Of the $13.3M,
nearly $6.7 million in debt-free grants have been distributed to over 1,850
small businesses in every neighborhood across the City of Boston through
the Office of Economic Development's Small
Business Relief Fund. Of the Funds announced last month, the City
has distributed $4M to 346 businesses through commercial rent relief,
supporting certified women, minority, and veteran owned small businesses,
and restaurant relief. And to further assist the City's small businesses,
the City of Boston has created
a list of suppliers to help businesses source the personal
protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies required to ensure the
safety of employees and customers as industries reopen.
To
better support arts organizations facing financial losses, canceled
programming, and closures caused by COVID-19, the City of Boston
established a $1 million Arts and Culture COVID-19 Fund, which awarded
grants to 146 small and mid-sized arts and culture nonprofits to adapt
their programs, spaces, and operating models. Throughout the COVID-19
public health emergency, the City of Boston in partnership with Boston
Center for the Arts (BCA) have also awarded grants totaling over $330,000
to over 600 artists as part of the Boston Artist Relief Fund, which was
established to support artists whose creative practices and incomes were
adversely impacted by the pandemic.
For
more information about Boston's reopening, please visit boston.gov/reopening.For
additional questions or programs, please visit our coronavirus
website or call 3-1-1, Boston's 24-hour constituent hotline. Text
BOSCOVID to 888-777 to receive text alerts on a regular basis, available in
11 languages.
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