Gov. Baker announces plans for continued reopening, starting soon

Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced that Massachusetts will reopen some outdoor Phase 4, Step 2 industries effective May 10^th and put plans in place for further reopening on May 29^th and August 1^st.

The Administration continues to take steps to reopen the Commonwealth’s economy with public health metrics continuing to trend in a positive direction. This includes drops in average daily COVID cases and hospitalizations. Massachusetts remains first in the nation for first vaccine doses and total doses administered per capita, among states with more than 5 million people.

The Administration will also relax the Face Coverings Order for some outdoor settings, effective April 30^th.

Phase IV, Step 2 Industries and Gathering Changes

On March 22, Massachusetts loosened capacity restrictions and advanced to Step 1 of Phase IV of the reopening plan. Since then, case rates dropped by 20%. The positivity rate has dropped to the lowest levels recorded since last summer.

Effective Monday, May 10^th

Large venues such as indoor and outdoor stadiums, arenas and ballparks currently open as part of Phase 4, Step 1 at 12% will be permitted to increase capacity to 25%.

The Commonwealth will reopen some outdoor Phase 4, Step 2 industries including amusement parks, theme parks and outdoor water parks that will be permitted to operate at a 50% capacity after submitting safety plans to the Department of Public Health.

Road races and other large, outdoor organized amateur or professional group athletic events will be permitted to take place with staggered starts after submitting safety plans to a local board of health or the DPH.

Youth and adult amateur sports tournaments will be allowed for moderate and high risk sports.

Singing will also be permitted indoors with strict distancing requirements at performance venues, restaurants, event venues and other businesses.

Effective May 29^th

Subject to public health and vaccination data, gathering limits will increase to 200 people indoors and 250 people outdoors for event venues, public settings and private settings.

Subject to public health and vaccination data, additional Phase 4, Step 2 industries will be permitted to open including:

• Street festivals, parades and agricultural festivals, at 50% of their previous capacity and after submitting safety plans to the local board of health.
• Bars, beer gardens, breweries, wineries and distilleries, will be subject to restaurant rules with seated service only, a 90 minute limit and no dance floors.

Subject to public health and vaccination data, the restaurant guidance will be updated to eliminate the requirement that food be served with alcohol and to increase the maximum table size to 10.

Effective August 1^st

Subject to public health and vaccination data, remaining industries will be permitted to open including:

• Dance clubs, and nightclubs
• Saunas, hot-tubs, steam rooms at fitness centers, health clubs and other facilities
• Indoor water parks
• Ball pits

All industry restrictions will be lifted at that time, and capacity will increase to 100% for all industries, with businesses encouraged to continue following best practices. The gathering limit will be rescinded.

Depending on vaccine distribution and public health data, the Administration may consider re-evaluating the August 1^st date.

The Department of Public Health will also continue to issue guidance as needed, including guidance to still require masks indoors.

Face Coverings Order: 

Effective April 30^th, the Face Coverings Order will be relaxed for some outdoor settings.

Face coverings will only be required outside in public when it is not possible to socially distance, and at other times required by sector-specific guidance.

Face coverings will still be required at all times in indoor public places. Face coverings will also continue to be required at all times at events, whether held indoors or outdoors and whether held in a public space or private home, except for when eating or drinking.

At smaller gatherings in private homes, face coverings are recommended but not required. The $300 fine as an enforcement mechanism will be eliminated.

For more information, visit mass.gov/reopening

The above press release is courtesy of Gov. Charlie Baker’s office.

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Anyone over the age of 16 who lives, works, or studies in MA is now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. If you haven’t yet preregistered for an appointment at one of the Commonwealth’s mass vaccination locations, now is the time. Learn more by clicking here and sign up by clicking here.

A vaccination site has opened at Lynn Tech for Lynners.

Find out more & watch a video tour by clicking here.
Schedule an appointment by clicking here.

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Upcoming community cleanups

There are various cleanups happening across the City of Lynn over the next week that we’ve been made aware of. If you want to see what’s happening in Lynn check out our free community calendar by clicking here.

Are you holding an event?

Please let us know by emailing us the info. and we can help to promote to the community. We also cover events for our news show, with short video recaps.

Click images below for their full resolution flier

 

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High Schools in MA required to bring students back fully in-person by May 17th

Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Jeffrey C. Riley announced today he will require all school districts in the Commonwealth to provide high school students with full-time, in-person learning by May 17, 2021.

In March, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education gave Commissioner Riley the authority to decide when remote and hybrid learning models no longer count toward required Student Learning Time regulations.

The Commissioner has utilized a phased-in approach to bring schools back fully in-person, which began with elementary schools on April 5 and middle schools on April 28. All high schools must return fully in-person by May 17 unless the district receives a waiver from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Waivers will be considered only in a limited set of circumstances, and any district that does not receive a waiver will be required to make up any missed structured learning time.

Districts and schools should make every effort to have high school students with significant and complex disabilities or high school students who are English learners return to full-time, in-person learning prior to the deadline.

Schools and districts are now required to include a daily visual “live check-in” to support students whose families have selected remote instruction. Under DESE’s remote learning regulations, students are required to have opportunities for interaction with a teacher each school day. The daily live check-in provides the district with key information about student engagement and well-being. Parents and guardians may continue to choose remote learning for their children for the remainder of this school year.

As COVID-19 health metrics continue to improve, many districts have already started to bring more students back into classrooms full time. Currently, there are 146 school districts already fully in-person in grades K-12. By May 17, a total of 198 school districts plan to be back fully in-person in grades K-12, representing two-thirds of all high schools in the Commonwealth.

Through ongoing collaboration with the medical community and public health officials, districts and schools have worked hard to keep students and staff safe since school reopened in September. Massachusetts was the first state in the nation to launch statewide pooled testing available to all students, teachers and staff. More than 323,000 students and 85,000 teachers and staff have the option to receive weekly COVID-19 tests. Data collected from the pooled testing found low positivity rates – far less than 1 percent – among students and staff. The testing program, funded entirely by the Commonwealth and available to every Massachusetts public school at no cost, was extended through the end of the school year.

“With the robust mitigation strategies schools have put in place and all the scientific data around schools’ safety, it is time to begin the process of returning all K-12 students to classrooms. By bringing high school students back now, we will be in a stronger position to start school in the fall,” said Education Secretary James Peyser. “As we have stated repeatedly during this school year, there is no substitute for in-person learning, particularly for students with disabilities and English learners.”

“Every day a child is in a classroom is crucial. In addition to academic instruction and support, we know when students are in school, they have the opportunity to learn important social and emotional skills and have access to healthy meals as well as mental health and other support services,” said Commissioner Riley.

As of April 19, all individuals who are 16 years old or older are eligible to schedule appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and all educators and school staff have been eligible to be vaccinated since March 11, 2021, with dedicated days at mass vaccination locations. All eligible individuals are strongly encouraged to receive the vaccine to provide additional confidence in returning to the classroom.

The above press release is courtesy of the MA Department of
Elementary & Secondary Education

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From Mayor McGee’s office: The Lynn Public Health Department has confirmed that as of today, the number of active, confirmed positive COVID-19 cases is 252 with 18 new cases today. 16,853 Lynn residents have recovered and 212 have died. The total number of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in Lynn since March 21, 2020, including those who have died and recovered, is 17,317.

Please visit the City of Lynn COVID-19 Data Dashboardwhich is updated daily.