MA Lifting Stay-At-Home Advisory, Early Business Closures

Massachusetts next week will lift its stay-at-home advisory and an order requiring most businesses to close by 9:30 p.m., the beginning of what might be a slow return to some semblance of normalcy for businesses.

Gov. Charlie Baker said the state on Monday will lift the restrictions, which were implemented in early November. They may not be the last to go this winter.

“We believe that it’s time and OK to start a gradual easing of restrictions,” Baker said at a Thursday news conference. The governor also announced a new round of small business grants.

Many safeguards will remain for now. Baker said the 25 percent capacity limit for most businesses will be in place at least another two weeks.

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Baker's announcement came as the state's vaccination plan continued to roll out and hospital capacity opened up. The governor earlier Thursday said anyone in phase one of the vaccination plan is now eligible to receive their shot.

"These have been long and hard days for everybody, but our hospital system was able to continue to provide medical care for residents," Baker said. "And today, three weeks into 2021, our public health data is trending in a better direction for some categories like hospitalizations and the percent of positive COVID cases for the first time in a long time."

While COVID-19 numbers have improved in the past couple weeks, they are still significantly higher than when the stay-at-home advisory was instituted in late fall. State health officials on Wednesday announced 3,987 new cases and 78 more deaths. There were 2,209 COVID-19 patients hospitalized, with 444 in intensive care.

"While today's announcement reflects another step toward normalcy, we still have a lot of work ahead of us to suppress the pandemic once and for all and to fully reopen our economy," Baker said.

The following businesses will no longer need to abide by the 9:30 p.m. closure order:

• Restaurants, which can still offer food and non-alcoholic beverages for takeout and delivery after 9:30 p.m.
• Arcades and other indoor and outdoor recreation
• Indoor and outdoor events
• Indoor and outdoor theaters, movie theaters, and performance venues
• Drive-in movie theaters
• Youth and adult amateur sports activities
• Golf facilities
• Recreational boating and boating businesses
• Outdoor recreational experiences and educational activities
• Casinos, horse racing tracks, and simulcast facilities
• Driving and flight schools
• Zoos, botanical gardens, wildlife reserves, and nature centers
• Close contact personal services
• Fitness centers and health clubs
• Indoor and outdoor pools (public and semi-public swimming pools)
• Museums/cultural and historical facilities/guided tours