Mask Confusion Could Be In Store Across MA On May 29

MASSACHUSETTS — Going back to the way things always used to be is going to seem very strange to a lot of people starting next weekend.

When Gov. Charlie Baker said on Monday the date for removing all statewide coronavirus-related business restrictions was being shifted up from Aug. 1 to May 29, there was plenty of enthusiasm from those celebrating the demise of face masks, social distancing and the general detachment that has encompassed the past 15 months.

Yet, while the thought of seeing the smiling face of a barista, bartender or your local grocery store clerk may be refreshing for some, it may leave others with trepidation and a touch of confusion as — in many cases — each business in each community is left to determine whether to dip their toes back into open society or dive in headfirst.

"I will not be making a recommendation to impose any additional local restrictions regarding mask-wearing," Peabody Health Director Sharon Cameron told Patch on Thursday. "However, we do recognize that many business owners will make individual decisions around things like continued mask use, social distancing measures and other best practices, and we support their efforts to take steps they feel appropriate to protect the health and safety of their workforce and their customers.

"We hope that our residents will be respectful of decisions made by business owners regarding the continuation of safeguards."

The Salem has a Board of Health meeting scheduled for Tuesday to conduct a "review of recent announcements from the governor regarding the updates timeline for final opening to determine if the Board of Health should enact further restrictions to the opening guidance or timeline," but even cities like Boston and Somerville — typically well behind the state's reopening schedule over the past year — have said they will join Peabody and go along with the state guidance.

"I think a lot of business are still going to require masks when you enter, and restaurants as well, unless you're eating," Melrose Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jen Manning told Patch. "I don't think that's going to go away right away.

"We're just going to go with whatever each individual business and business owner has in place."

But Who's Sitting Next To You?

After expanding from 12 percent capacity to 25 percent on May 10, Fenway Park this week began selling tickets for the entire ballpark beginning with the May 29 game against the Florida Marlins.

That means the potential for 37,731 fans crammed on top of each other in the historic bandbox's tiny seats cheering on the first-place Red Sox and singing "Sweet Caroline" at the top of their lungs in the eighth inning.

Fenway Park said this week masks will not be required for vaccinated fans and are "strongly encouraged" for unvaccinated fans.

The catch? Vaccination status will be on the honor system.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week issued updated guidance that vaccinated Americans can safely go without masks outdoors and even indoors with large crowds — in most cases — but unvaccinated people should continue to mask up.

However, with the federal and state government both showing no indication they will institute any type of vaccine verification system, it is up to individual venues and businesses to play "vaccine police" if they choose.

It appears no one has the desire — or most even the ability — to do that in Massachusetts. So unvaccinated regulations become, at best, hopeful suggestions.

Stop & Shop declared a similar policy this week, joining Trader Joe's, Kohl's, Target, Starbucks, BJ’s Wholesale Club and Walmart among other national retailers who are going mask-optional for essentially all starting Memorial Day weekend where state and local regulations allow.

"Stop & Shop will no longer require those who are fully vaccinated to wear masks in our stores — although we will continue to strongly encourage everyone to do so," the company said in a statement.

The Bruins are likely to play in front of a full crowd TD Garden should they advance to the second round of the playoffs, but Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge said on Thursday the Celtics will still likely face crowd restrictions from the NBA for their May 30 playoff game vs. the Brooklyn Nets.

Proceed At Your Own Pace

As burdensome as the ever-evolving state restrictions were for many businesses this past year, at least they were all playing by the same rules.

That will not be the case starting next week where customers may enter one local shop, drugstore, corner bar or restaurant free to do just about whatever they want when it comes to masks and distancing, yet the place next door may keep most of the current protocols in place for at least a little while longer.

Peabody's Granite Coast Brewing held a staff meeting on Tuesday and came up with what it feels is a hybrid of the good old times and continued precautions to make guests feel comfortable as they ease back into what was once considered normal.

While customers will no longer be required to wear masks, the staff will do so for two more weeks as part of a transition period. Granite Coast Marketing Manager and Event Coordinator Amy Luckiewicz told Patch that although they could go back to serving folks standing at the bar, they will stick with seated service and gradually bring in more tables to reduce distancing from 6 feet to more like 3 feet.

"People may be a little timid and this will give them a little more time to adjust to it even though our staff is 100 percent vaccinated so we don't have to wear them," Luckiewicz said.

At the Tread Tabata fitness boutique in Beverly, owner Kathy Glabicky said that while those unvaccinated will be "encouraged" to wear masks during workouts, she is looking forward to seeing the expressions on the faces of full 20-person classes of the high-intensity workout once again.

"I want it to get back to what it was," she said. "Our workouts have an amazing energy and vibe in our classes. A lot of people got by with a home option. And maybe for 14 months you had something that worked for you at home. But I think people are craving to be around other people and seeing each other.

"We're all so happy. I feel so happy. I think they're really ready to come back."

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)