COVID-19 Massachusetts Begins Phase 3 Reopening
- Phase 3 started on Monday, July 6th.
- Gyms, sporting events, casinos, museums, and movie theaters are all categorized in Phase 3.
- The state’s casinos, horse racing and simulcast wagering are also part of Phase 3.
- Encore Boston Harbor announced that it expects to reopen its $2.6 billion Everett casino at 9 a.m. on Sunday, July 12.
- MGM Springfield said Thursday evening that it plans to open Monday, July 13 at 10 a.m.
- Phase 3 will consist of two smaller steps, though administration officials have not yet announced when the second portion will start.
- The loosened restrictions in the first step will take effect in Boston on July 13, one week after every other community in Massachusetts.
- Under the first step, movie theaters, museums, fitness centers and some indoor recreation facilities that have all been closed since mid-March will be allowed to reopen so long as they follow industry-specific protocols.
- Most will face capacity limits and mandatory cleaning requirements. Indoor and outdoor events such as weddings or parties will not be allowed to open bars or dance floors.
- The administration will also update restrictions on gatherings to allow more people to congregate, starting Monday statewide and July 13 in Boston.
- Indoor gatherings will be capped at eight people per 1,000 square feet with a maximum of 25, while outdoor enclosed gatherings will be limited to 25 percent of permitted capacity with a maximum of 100. Caps do not apply to unenclosed outdoor events, such as backyard parties or park visits.
- Phase 3 will last longer than the other phases, and Phase 4 will not begin until treatment or a vaccine for COVID-19 is available.
- Professional sports teams will be permitted to host games without spectators in Massachusetts as part of Phase 3.
- MassHealth telehealth service will continue through the end of 2020, Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said Thursday, and the administration continues to encourage remote medical appointments “whenever feasible.”
- Additional information can be found by using this link: https://www.mass.gov/lists/reopening-health-and-human-services-in-massachusetts
