Worcester Allowing Indoor Dining To Expand After Baker's Order

WORCESTER, MA — After several consecutive weeks of declining coronavirus cases, Worcester leaders will allow city restaurants to expand indoor dining starting Monday. The move follows Gov. Charlie Baker's Thursday order allowing a slate of businesses to start reopening.

Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. said he will allow bar-top dining, an item he had previously prevented due to rising cases during the second wave of the virus.

But in six of seven recent weeks, cases have declined. Worcester added 304 cases since last Thursday, the lowest week-over-week increase since November. But officials still warned residents to keep safe, keep social distance and wear masks — even after getting vaccinated.

"We can't get overly exuberant," Augustus warned. "I think we're heading in the right direction — the numbers are coming down, the hospitalizations are going down, the vaccinations are going up, that's exactly the kind of data we want to see. Together, we want to see these numbers moving in the right direction."

Massachusetts will enter Phase 3, Step 2 of its reopening plan Monday, Baker said Thursday. Restaurants will also no longer have capacity limits, but tables still must be 6 feet apart or separated with partitions. The 90-minute and six-person-per-table limits will remain.

Baker also announced that large venues like Fenway Park will be able to reopen with about 12 percent capacity at the end of March. That's a key change for Worcester with opening day of the Worcester Red Sox inaugural season set to begin on April 13.

Full List: What's changing in Massachusetts