Planning To Reopen - Phase 2 Begins

6/9/2020 (Permalink)

At his press conference on Monday, Governor Charlie Baker announced his decision to begin Phase 2 of his reopening plan for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As of Monday, June 8th, residents of the Commonwealth will be able to go inside retail stores, children will be able to head to playgrounds and participate in sports programs while restaurants can serve people outside. His decision to begin Phase 2 was based on his observation of a downward trajectory of state wide coronavirus statistics in terms of new cases and hospitalizations.

As always, work with your local health officials to determine a set of strategies appropriate for your community’s situation.

(See our "Planning to Reopen series of blogs for more information regarding CDC, EPA, FDA, and OSHA safety requirements). To review the administration's reopening guidance from the state click here. To view Governor Baker's full report click here).

Phase 2 has been divided into two parts. Beginning today, Monday, June 8, the following can reopen under certain restrictions including, but not limited to COVID-19 Order No. 35, former COVID-19 Orders and sector-specific COVID-19 workplace safety rules .

• Childcare facilities and day camps
• Driving and flight school
• Funeral homes, with occupancy limits
• Higher education classes including post-secondary, vocational tech and occupation schools may allow students to complete required courses for graduation.
• Historical spaces may reopen outdoor facilities. No guided tours allowed nor can they host functions or gatherings.
• Hotels and other lodgings, though they may not host events, functions or meetings
• Outdoor recreation including pools, playgrounds and driving ranges
• Personal services, such as home cleaning, window washing, education tutoring and career coaching, with social distancing mandated
• Restaurants, offering only outdoor dining and takeout
• Retail, with occupancy limits
• Sports: Professional teams may continue practices starting Monday, though no games or public admission is allowed. Youth sports and adult amateur leagues may resume as well.
• Warehouses and distribution centers

Restaurants

• Diners can only be served outdoors with table 6 feet apart and away from high foot traffic areas.
• Tables will be allowed to be closer together only if protective barriers are in place.
• No more than six people can sit at a table.
• Take-out service will still be allowed with safety standards in place because of the allowance of outdoor dining.

Retail Stores

• Retail stores can open at 40% of maximum occupancy (8 people (including staff)/1,000 sq ft)
• Enclosed shopping malls and other indoor multi-tenant retail spaces having restaurants or retailers serving only food and beverage can only offer take-out or delivery service.
• Indoor seating areas, including food courts, must be closed.
• Children’s play areas and arcades must remain closed.
• When necessary for people to line up to enter a store, retailers must put markers outside to ensure a six-foot distance between customers waiting to get inside.
• Shoppers must practice social distancing
• Shoppers must wear face coverings
• Stores should install physical barriers at checkout stations where possible and to put up visual social distance markers in places like lines to check out or lines to use the bathroom.
• Sampling stations for items like makeup and perfume are not allowed and fitting rooms will remain closed.
• After serving a customer, employees have to disinfect shared equipment with supplies provided by the employer.
• Disinfection and cleaning logs must also be kept showing the business is following protocols.

Health Care  

• Providers can resume in-person services including annual visits, dental visits and vision care.
• Elective cosmetic procedures and in-person day programs will not be allowed until Phase 3.
• The State health officials urged all to consider tele-health options when possible.
• On June 10, hospitals can allow one visitor at a time per patient. If a patient is in an ambulance, one person can accompany them.

Sports Teams

• Amature and youth sprots teams can begin practicing.
• Outdoor athletic facilities will open for youth and adult activities
• Indoor athletic facilities will reopen for sports programs only including sports camps for children under the age of 18.
• Adult and unsupervised youth activities are still not allowed.
• Locker rooms for indoor facilities will remain closed.
• Groups comprising of coaches, staff and participants may not excede 10 people.
• Contact sports can only have no-contact drills and practices.
• Non-contact sports can hold games, but contact sports cannot have inter-team games, scrimmages, or tournaments. 

Day Camps

• Camps and childcare facilities can open but this does not include overnight camps.
• Temperatures for children and staff need to be checked daily before entering facilities.
• Parents will also have to answer several questions about the child’s health and the health of people in a home.
• Groups will be restricted to 10 with staff saying with the same group of children during the day.
• Children and staff members over the age of 2 are encouraged to wear face coverings or masks when 6 feet of social distancing is not possible.

Hotels and Motels

These business may reopen, but under a series of conditions. These conditions include, but are not limited to;

• Staff and patrons must follow social distancing of a distance of at least six feet.
• Physical barriers that are at least six feet tall must separate workstations, according to the state’s protocols.
• Markers should be added on the floor to direct guests to stay six feet apart.
• Face coverings are required for all workers and guests in hallways and common areas.
• The number of people riding in an elevator should be limited.
• Gatherings of 10 people or more are prohibited during work hours, per the protocols.
• Entrance doors should be propped open, if possible, or are automated. When not possible entrance doors should be operated by a worker that is frequently washing or sanitizing hands.
• Valet should be avoided unless it is necessary because of physical or geographic constraints in order to accommodate individual guests with disabling conditions.
• Workers should not open the doors of cars or taxis.

Currently, the second step of Phase 2 will allow for the reopening of businesses;

• Hair removal and replacement
• Nail care
• Skincare
• Massage therapy
• Makeup salons and makeup application services
• Tanning salons
• Tattoo, piercing and body art services
• Personal training, with restrictions

We will continue to share with you guidance from the CDC, EPA, FDA, OSHA and the Governor's office to follow as we prepare for reopening. Also, we at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley know that not every business has access to the resources necessary to meet these strict guidelines. For those businesses, we are here to help!

Certified SERVPRO Clean

The Disaster Remediation Teams at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley are specialists in cleaning services and we adhere to the highest cleaning and sanitation standards. We are prepared to clean and disinfect your home or business, according to protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have years of experience in dealing with biological contaminants, and we will go beyond the scope of work of "normal daily cleaning". Call SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley today for a free consultation - (617) 332-9000.

All of us here at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley want you and your loved ones to stay safe and know that we will make it through this together! Rest assured, we will continue to do our best to keep you up-to-date and informed!