Massachusetts to ease some pandemic business restrictions

BOSTON – Massachusetts will begin to ease some of its pandemic restrictions on businesses as spikes in the number of hospitalizations and new cases of COVID-19 have begun to slow, Gov. Charlie Baker said Thursday.

Beginning Monday at 5 a.m., the state’s early closure order for businesses and the stay at home advisory for the public will be lifted, Baker said at a Statehouse press conference.

The early closure order — put in place in early November — targeted a range of businesses including restaurants, health clubs, movie theatres and others, requiring them to close at 9:30 p.m.

A 25% capacity limit on businesses will remain in place until February 8.

The state is also lifting on Monday the advisory that people stay at home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. to help stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Baker pointed to positive trends in the disease for his decision to begin to loosen restrictions on businesses.

“Post-Thanksgiving we had a significant spike in cases and hospitalizations,” Baker said. “Today, three weeks into 2021, our public health data is trending in a better direction for some categories.”

Hospitalizations are down by 10% since they peaked in early January, he said. The average positive test rate for COVID-19 has gone down 33% since the beginning of January.

There are other positive developments, Baker said, including the fact that vaccines are beginning to be administered.

The state will also continue to monitor the new variant of the coronavirus that has been recently detected in Massachusetts, although Baker said the administration had assumed the variant was already in the state weeks ago.

Although there are “glimmers of hope” on the horizon, Baker urged residents not to drop their guard.

“At some point soon we will be on the other side of the virus, but we have to keep working it for a little while longer,” Baker said.

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CAPE COD-VACCINATION SITE

A state-run vaccination site is coming to Cape Cod.

Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment Director Sean O’Brien tells The Cape Cod Times the state has committed to opening a “soup to nuts” COVID-19 vaccination site on the famous vacation destination as soon as February.

The specific location of the vaccine site is still to be determined, but local officials are eying a site in the mid-Cape area, he added.

The state’s first mass vaccination site opened this week at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, the home field of the NFL’s New England Patriots.

That site is expected to work up to administering over 1,000 vaccinations per day, and soon after, 5,000 vaccinations per day.

Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration has also said Fenway Park, home of the MLB’s Boston Red Sox, will also serve as a vaccine site, starting Feb. 1.

The ballpark is expected to administer 500 vaccines per day by appointment and ramp up to providing 1,000 vaccines per day.