MASSACHUSETTS – PHASE III, STEP ONE TO INITIATE ON MONDAY, JULY 6TH
The Baker-Polito Administration today announced that on July 6th, Phase III of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan will begin and updates on gatherings will be in effect. For the City of Boston, Phase III and the gatherings order will take effect on Monday, July 13th. The Department of Public Health (DPH) also issued updated guidance to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The following businesses will be eligible to reopen in Step One of Phase III, subject to industry-specific rules concerning capacity and operations:
- Movie theaters and outdoor performance venues;
- Museums, cultural and historical sites;
- Fitness centers and health clubs;
- Certain indoor recreational activities with low potential for contact;
- Professional sports teams, under the authority of league-wide rules, may hold games without spectators
Businesses and sectors set to begin opening in Phase III are subject to compliance with all mandatory safety standards. As always, we recommend that businesses consult sector-specific protocols and the When Can My Business Reopen? pages at www.mass.gov/reopening.
Please see the press release for additional information regarding Step One of Phase III, the revised gatherings order, and public health guidance.
NEW TRAVEL GUIDANCE
This week, the Baker-Polito Administration announced new COVID-19 public health guidelines on travel and transportation.
Effective Wednesday, July 1, all travelers arriving to Massachusetts, including residents returning home, are instructed to self-quarantine for 14-days. This guidance does not apply to travelers from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York or New Jersey. Additionally, workers designated by the federal government as essential critical infrastructure workers are also exempt from this directive. Travelers who are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 are instructed to not travel to Massachusetts.
PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM DEADLINE LIKELY TO BE EXTENDED
As you may know, Congress passed legislation extending the Paycheck Protection Program application deadline from June 30th to August 8th this week; this legislation is on the President’s desk for signature. There is still about $130B in the program that would be available to small businesses with the extension.