News

Modified Phase 2, Step 2 Of Reopening Plan Extended In Boston

Thursday Jan 14, 2021

This article is from the January 14, 2020 issue of South End News.


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)
• Private social clubs may continue to operate, if they serve food, consistent with restaurant guidance.
• 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.