Governor Baker’s May 18, 2020 Press Conference
Governor Baker’s May 18, 2020 Press Conference
On May 18, 2020, Governor Baker signed an executive order detailing information on businesses and activities summarized in the Reopening Massachusetts report. The Baker-Polito Administration established the following webpage (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/reopening-massachusetts) dedicated to their comprehensive plan to safely reopen the Massachusetts economy, get people back to work, and ease social restrictions while minimizing the health impacts of COVID-19. The full report can be viewed at https://www.mass.gov/doc/reopening-massachusetts-may-18-2020/download.
A quick summary is provided below on when select industries may begin to reopen during Phase 1. The Baker-Polito administration also announced mandatory safety standards and recommended best practices for sectors that are eligible to open in Phase 1. Each business must meet the specific self-certification requirements and adhere to mandatory workplace safety standards and sector specific safety protocols and best practices prior to reopening. Businesses operating to provide Essential Services, as defined in the Governor's March 23, 2020 Executive Order, updated on March 31, April 28 and May 15, may remain open and have until May 25, 2020 to comply with these mandatory safety standards. The mandatory safety standards, required sector specific protocols, and best practices can be found on the https://www.mass.gov/info-details/reopening-massachusetts website.
Additional sector guidance for future phases will be issued at a later date as determined by key public health metrics. During his press conference on May 18, 2020, Governor Baker indicated that subsequent phases could open three weeks apart at a minimum. However, the Governor stressed that public health data trends indicating significant increases in viral transmission could result in returning to prior phases or closing sectors of the economy. To find out when can your specific business industry can reopen, please follow this link: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/reopening-when-can-my-business-reopen.