Planning To Reopen - Baker Announcement - Phase 3, Step 2

9/30/2020 (Permalink)

Governor Charlie Baker has announced that effective Monday, October 5^th, lower risk communities will be permitted to move into Step 2 of Phase 3 of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan. All other communities will remain in Phase 3, Step 1. Additionally, he issued a revised gatherings order.

NOTE: COVID-19 is highly transmissible. Individuals should follow these universal precautions regardless of the extent of mitigation needed:

1. Follow healthy hygiene practices
2. Stay at home when sick
3. Practice social distancing 
4. Use a cloth face covering (with some exceptions) in community settings when physical distancing cannot be maintained.

The current state of the COVID-19 pandemic is continually evolving. What is true today may not be tomorrow. At this time, the evidence suggests schools have not played a significant role in COVID-19 transmission and that children, particularly younger children, are less likely than adults to be infected with COVID-19.

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, Mass EEA, Mass DESE, 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).

Communities At Risk

The Baker administration defines lower risk communities as cities and towns that have not been a “red” community in any of the last three weekly Department of Public Health (DPH) weekly reports.

According to the most recent report there were 17 new coronavirus-related deaths reported, bringing the state’s death toll to 9,135 with 126,408 confirmed cases.

Based on the average daily cases per 100,000 residents, each city or town has been designated as a higher risk (red), moderate risk (yellow), or lower risk (green) community. Communities with fewer than five cases are not given a designation.

Fifteen cities and towns now fall in the Department of Public Health’s highest-risk category for COVID-19 transmission;

1. Chelsea
2. Everett
3. Framingham
4. Holliston
5. Lawrence
6. Lynn
7. Marlborough
8. Nantucket
9. New Bedford
10. Revere
11. Saugus
12. Tyngsborough
13. Winthrop
14. Worcester
15. Wrentham are

All considered to be in the red category. Dedham, Lynnfield, Monson, and Plainville were all in the red last week but have since been moved down to moderate risk.

To view the latest DPH weekly report click here.

Phase 3, Step 2 Update

Effective October 5, a limited number of sectors will be eligible to reopen, with restrictions, in Step II of Phase III for lower risk communities only:

• Indoor performance venues will be permitted to open with 50% capacity with a maximum of 250 people. 
• Outdoor performance venue capacity will increase to 50% with a max of 250 people.
• For arcades and indoor and outdoor recreation businesses, additional Step II activities like trampolines, obstacle courses, roller rinks and laser tag will also be permitted to open and capacity will increase to 50%.
• Fitting rooms will be permitted to open in all types of retail stores.  
• Gyms, museums, libraries and driving and flight schools will also be permitted to increase their capacity to 50%.

Revised Gatherings Order

• The limit for indoor gatherings remains at a maximum of 25 people for all communities.
• Outdoor gatherings at private residences and in private backyards will remain at a maximum of 50 people for all communities.
• Outdoor gatherings at event venues and in public settings will have a limit of 50 people in Step I communities, and a limit of 100 people in lower risk, Step II communities.

We will be sharing the updates to the industry specific guidance and protocols for a range of Phase 1, 2, and 3 businesses as the administration issues them.

Also, we at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley know that not every community has access to the resources necessary to meet the strict cleaning guidelines to ensure a safe environment for our children. For those communities, we are here to help!

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned

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 schools, 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!