BOSTON — Businesses in Massachusetts will be allowed to increase their capacity, according to Governor Charlie Baker.
The announcement was made during a Thursday afternoon COVID-19 briefing.
Indoor performance venues and indoor recreation businesses remain closed.
Effective Monday, February 8, 2021, at 5 a.m. businesses can increase capacity to 40% due to improvements in the state’s COVID-19 data. It also includes:
- Arcades and recreational businesses
- Driving and flight schools
- Gyms and health clubs
- Libraries
- Museums
- Retail
- Offices
- Places of Worship
- Lodging (common areas)
- Golf (indoor areas)
- Movie Theaters (No more than 50 people per theater)
Restaurants and close contact personal services can also increase to 40% capacity and that number does not include workers and staff.
On Wednesday, the state’s Department of Public Health announced that the seven-day weighted average of positive molecular tests dropped to 3.3%.
[ COVID-19 updates: DPH reports 2,186 new confirmed cases, 53 new deaths Wednesday ]
In January, Baker announced adjustments to the state’s reopening plan lifting the stay-at-home advisory and business curfew.
The state will remain in Phase 3, Step 1 of the reopening plan. Indoor gatherings will remain limited to 10 people and outdoor gatherings will have a limit of 25 people.
[ Statewide stay-at-home advisory, early business curfew will be lifted Monday ]
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