Baker cuts max size of outdoor gatherings in half, delays next reopening step

Massachusetts Gov.

Charlie Baker on Friday announced decisions made in response to a recent uptick in in COVID-19 cases and the average positive test rate.

I USUALLY DO THAT.TODAY, I AM PASSING THE TORCH TOSECRETARY SUTTER’S.I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE KNOWTHAT THANKS TO THE DILIGENCE OFMOST RESIDENTS, HEALTH-CAREWORKERS, WE HAVE SEEN AN OVERALLDECREASE SINCE MAY IN THE KEYMETRICS WE PUBLISH PUBLICLY ON ADAILY BASIS.TEST -- POSITIVE RATES, NUMBEROF INDIVIDUALS IN THE HOSPITAL,NUMBER OF FOLKS IN THE ICU, ANDTHANKFULLY, NUMBER OF NEWDEATHS.THE NUMBERS FOR COVID INMASSACHUSETTS, ESPECIALLYCOMPARED TO OTHER STATES, HAVECAUSED SOME RESIDENTS TO FEEL ABIT TOO RELAXED ABOUT THESERIOUSNESS OF THIS VIRUS.WE CANNOT SAY THIS ENOUGH.COVID-19 IS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUSAND CAN BE DEADLY FORINDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OLDER, WHOHAVE PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS ORCOMORBIDITY, AND IN MANY CASES,PEOPLE OF COLOR.IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, WE HAVESEEN AN UPTICK IN SOMECOMMUNITIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH.THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTSOF BIG PARTIES IN PLACES LIKEFALMOUTH, CHATHAM, WINTHROP,COHASSET TO NAME A FEW.THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTSABOUT ILLEGAL SPORTS CAMPS ANDPRIVATE OH CHARTERS WHERE NEWCASES HAVE QUICKLY DEVELOPED.YESTERDAY, IT WAS REPORTED THATA 300 PERSON WEDDING WAS HELD.THAT WILL LIKELY RESULT INFINES.WE APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE ASKEDA LOT OF THE PEOPLE OFMASSACHUSETTS SINCE MARCH.SCHOOLS WERE CLOSED.PEOPLE WERE WORKING FROM HOMEAND TRYING TO BALANCE THAT WITHCHILDCARE.BUSINESSES WERE CLOSED FORMONTHS AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS OFALL KINDS OF BEEN RESCHEDULED ORCANCELED.EVERYONE CONTINUES TO SACRIFICETO DEAL WITH THIS HEINOUS VIRUS.PEOPLE HAVE ALSO STEPPED UP BYWEARING FACE COVERINGS, SOCIALDISTANCING, AND STAYING HOMEWHEN THEY FEEL SICK AND USINGTELEHEALTH WHEN APPROPRIATE.MANY OF THOSE PREVENTATIVEACTIONS HAV PLAYED A ROLE INSLOWING THE SPREAD IN THECOMMONWEALTH.THIS HAS ALLOWED US TO REOPENCAUTIOUSLY AND VIGILANTLY.WE HAVE TO WORK HARD ALWAYS.HARDER IN SOME RESPECTS THANEVER TO CONTAIN COVID-19 ANDKEEP OUR ECONOMY OPEN FORBUSINESS.WE ALSO WANT TO KEEP THIS VIRUSOUT OF OUR COMMUNITIES AS WEHEAD INTO THE FALL SO WE CANGIVE OUR KIDS A CHANCE TO GOBACK TO SCHOOL.AFTER ANALYZING PUBLIC HEALTHDATA AND WORKING WITH OFFICIALS,OUR ADMINISTRATION IS ANNOUNCINGA NEWS THAT OF INITIATIVES AIMEDTO STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19AND TO RAMP UP THE ORDERS WEHAVE ISSUED.SOME WILL BE STATEWIDE.OTHERS WILL BE TARGETED TOCOMMUNITIES STRUGGLING CURRENTLYWITH THE SPREAD OF COVID.IN SOME RESPECTS, WE AREENTERING A NEW PHASE IN OURBATTLE AGAINST COVID-19.AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVESEEN STATEWIDE METRICS THAT HAVEBEEN O DECLINE FOR SEVERALMONTHS.BUT AFTER STUDYING THE RECENTINCREASE IN POSITIVE RATES, WEWILL BEGIN ANALYZING TOWN BYTOWN DATA STARTING WEDNESDAY.THIS INFORMATION WILL B POSTEDON A WEEKLY BASIS.I WOULD NOW LIKE TO ANNOUNCESOME UPDATES IN OUR STATEWIDEGUIDANCE.DUE TO THE UPTICK IN POSITIVECASES, WE ARE INDEFINITELYPOSTPONING STEP TWO OF PHASE 3IN OUR REOPENING PROCESS.WE LAID OUT ECONOMIC SECTORSTHAT COULD REOPEN IN PHASE 3WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD AT THISTIME OR ANYTIME SOON IN THE NEARFUTURE.THERE HAVE BEEN MANY REPORTS OFPOOL PARTIES, BIRTHDAY PARTIES,HOLIDAY PARTIES, FOURTH OF JULYPARTIES, ALL OF WHICH HAVE BEENDOCUMENTED IN GREAT DETAIL BYOUR CONTACT TRACING TEAMS THATHAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT PARTIESTHAT HAVE BEEN HELD IN PEOPLE’SHOMES AND BACKYAR HAVECONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TOCOMMUNITY SPREAD AND NEW COVIDCLUSTERS.THESE PARTIES ARE TOO BIG, TOOCROWDED, AND PEOPLE ARE SIMPLYNOT BEING RESPONSIBLE ABO FACECOVERINGS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, ORANY OF THE MAJOR METRICS WE PUTIN PLACE TO HELP PEOPLE MANAGE ASPREAD OF THIS VIRUS.PEOPLE WHO ARE TOO FAMILIAR WITHMANY OF THEIR FAMILIAR FRIENDSIN LARGE GATHERINGS, LARGESETTINGS, INDOORS OR OUTDOORS,WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING WITHTHIS VIRUS, PUT THEMSELVES,THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIRNEIGHBORHOODS AT RISK, AND THECONTACT TRACING DATA WE HAVEBEEN WORKING WITH SHOWS THATTIME AND TIME AGAIN, IF YOU GIVETHIS VIRUS AN OPPORTUNITY TOMOVE, IT WILL.THE NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER I AMSIGNING TODAY WILL LIMIT OUTSIDEGATHERINGS TO 100 50 PEOPLE.INSIDE LIMIT WILL REMAIN AT 25.FOLKS MUST ENSURE THAT GUESTSMAINTAIN SIX FEET OF SOCIALDISTANCE AND THAT FACE COVERINGSARE REQUIRED.WE HAVE EXTENDED THIS TO ALLLOCATIONS AND VENUES ON PUBLICAND PRIVATE PROPERTY.ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE UPDATINGRESTAURANT GUIDANC TO MAKEABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT ALCOHOLICBEVERAGES MAY ONLY BE SERVED FORON-SITE CONSUMPTION IF THEY AREPREPARED ON SITE.BARS ARE CLOSED INMASSACHUSETTS, AND BARSMASQUERADING AS RESTAURANTSALSO NEED TO BE CLOSED.HEALTH INSPECTION OFFICIALS HAVEBEEN TASKED WITH ENFORCING MANYOF THESE ORDERS.TODAY, I AM AUTHORIZING ALLSTATE AND LOCAL POLICE OFFICERSTO ENFORCE THESE ORDERS, ANDEVENT HOSTS WHO VIOLATE THESEORDERS WILL BE SUBJECT TO FINES.WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THIVIRUS SINCE MARCH, AND WE HAVEBUILT ON WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED TOSTOP AND SLOW THE SPREAD.WE HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK ACROSS ANUMBER OF COMMUNITIES.OUR GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY THOSECOMMUNITIES TO PUBLIC HEALTHDATA, INCREASE ENFORCEMENT, ANDHELP AMPLIFY AWARENESS SO THATRESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES CANPRACTICE THE VIGILANCE REQUIREDTO HELP THEM DEAL WITH THEIROUTBREAKS.TO EXECUTE THIS MISSION, WE AREANNOUNCING THE CREATION OF THECOVID ENFORCEMENT ANDINTERVENTION TEAM.THIS TEAM WILL BE CHARGED WITHTWO MAIN TASKS.WE WILL BE INCREASINGENFORCEMENT AND INTERVENTIONEFFORTS AT HIGH RISK -- AT THELOCAL LEVEL AND IN HIGH-RISKCOMMUNITIES.COMMUNITIES WILL BE DESIGNATEDHIGH-RISK BASED ON PUBLIC DATATHAT IDENTIFIES A PERCENTAGE OFPOSITIVE COVID TESTS.WE WILL ALSO ANNOUNCE THE HIGHERRISK COMMUNITIES NEXT WEEK.WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DREACHING OUT TO COMMUNITIES THATARE GOING TO FALL INTO THISHIGHER RISK CATEGORY, AND WEWANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ACHANCE TO TALK TO THEM AND BEGINTHE PROCESS OF INTEGRATING OUREFFORTS WITH THEIRS BEFORE WENAME NAMES.THE COVID ENFORCEMENT ANDINTERVENTION TEAM WILL TAKESEVERAL STEPS TO ADDRESS THESPREAD OF COVID-19, WORKING WITHOUR COLLEAGUES AND LOCALGOVERNMENT.FIRST, ON THE STATEWIDEENFORCEMENT PIECE, NEMA AND THEEXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLICSAFETY AND SECURITY WILL BRINGTOGETHER MULTIPLE STATE AGENCIESTO COORDINATE OUR EFFORTS.THIS WILL INCLUDE LOCALSERVICES, DIVISION OF LOCALSERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,LABOR STANDARDS, ALCOHOL ANDBEVERAGE CONTROL, AND THEMASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE.THIS TEAM WILL COORDINATE ANDINCREASED ENFORCEMENT EFFORTACROSS THE STATE TO ENSUREBUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS AREAWARE OF AND FOLLOWING TCOVID-19 ORDERS.I AUTHORIZING STATE AND LOCALPOLICE TO ENFORCE THESE ORDERS-- BY AUTHORIZING STATE ANDLOCAL POLICE TO ENFORCE THESEORDERS, WE CAN ENSURE THAT THEREARE PENALTIES TO THOSE WHOREFUSE TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTSTHAT SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVEMADE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE.SECONDLY, THE COVID-19 COMMACENTER WILL IDENTIFY HIGHER RISKCOMMUNITIES WE CAN WORK WITHCOLLABORATIVELY TO HELP THEMDEAL WITH THEIR OUTBREAKS.THIS WILL BE DIFFERENT IN EVERYTOWN, BUT IT WILL INCLUDE THINGSLIKE HELPING A TOWN ACCESSADDITIONAL FEDERAL RELIEF FUNDSIF CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT THAT.WE WILL ALSO RAMP UP ENFORCEMENTWITH RESPECT TO BUSINESSES, FACECOVERINGS, AND GATHERING.HIGH RISK COMMUNITIES MAY ALSOSEE RESTRICTIONS OR SHUTDOWNSFOR PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS,BUSINESSES, AND OTHER ENTITIESOR LOCATIONS BELIEVED TO BECONTRIBUTING TO THE SPREAD ITHOSE COMMUNITIES.NEXT, THE TEAM WILL PREPARESEVERAL OTHER RESOURCES FOR HIGHRISK UNITIES, INCLUDINGMESSAGING AND SUPPORT.THE PURPOSE OF MOBILIZING INTHESE TOWNS DESIGNATED AS HIGHRISK COMMUNITIES IS TOSIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE AWARENESSWITH RESPECT TO WHAT IS GOINGON, AND HELP PEOPLE CHANGE THEIRBEHAVIOR.RESIDENTS AND VISITORS NEED TOKNOW THAT COVID-19 IS ON THERISE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, ANDNEED TO HAVE THE TOOLS WORKINGWITH US AND THEIR LOCALOFFICIALS TO ACT READILY.OUR -- ACCORDINGLY.OUR GOAL IS TO HELP PARENTS,FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS AND OTHERSMAKE THE SMART DECISIONS THEYNEED TO MAKE WITH RESPECT TODAILY ACTIVITIES.FOR INSTANCE, PARENTS EVERYWHERESHOULD RECONSIDER HAVING BIGPLAY DATES, AND PARENS INHIGH-RISK TOWNS SHOULD REALLYAVOID SPENDING TIME WITH OTHERFAMILIES, CERTAINLY IN LARGEGROUP GATHERINGS.PEOPLE SHOULD THINK TWICE ABOUTHOSTING OR ATTENDING A GATHERINGOF ANY SIZE, ESPECIALLY WHENTHEY KNOW THE VIRUS HAS FLAREDUP IN THEIR COMMUNITY.WE HOPE THAT MORE INFORMATIONAND A MORE VISIBLE PRESENCE WITHRESPECT TO ENFORCEMENT WILL HELPPEOPLE DEAL WITH THE VERY REALISSUES THERE COMMUNITIES AREFACING TOGETHER, AND HELP STOPTHE SPREAD.AS I SAID, WE ARE STARTING WHATI WOULD DESCRIBE AS A NEW PHASEIN THE BATTLE AGAINST COVID.OUR PEOPLE IN MASSACHUSETTS HAVEWORKED EXCEEDINGLY HARD OVER THEPAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND HAVETEEN RESPONSIBLE ANDCOLLABORATIVE PARTICIPANTS INHELPING US TEST HAVE BEENRESPONSIBLE AND COLLABORATIVEPARTICIPANTS IN HELPING U --HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE ANDCOLLABORATIVE OR TO SPINS INHELPING US STOP THE VIRUS.WE HAVE STAYED HOME AND WORNFACE COVERINGS.WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY THEDEDICATION OF HEALTH-CAREWORKERS WHO SHOW UP EVERY DAY TOKEEP US SAFE.BUT NOW WE ARE SEEING THE VIRUSESCALATE IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIESAROUND THE COMMONWEALTH, AND WEHAVE TO PUT TOGETHER A PLANWORKING TOGETHER TO STOP IT.WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOREVERYONE’S VIGILANCE ANDSUPPORT, BUT THIS NIGHT AGAINSTCOVID-19 IS FAR FR OVER, --FIGHT AGAI