Governor Baker announces temporary revised COVID-19 measures, effective December 26

On December 22nd, Governor Baker announced a temporary Executive Order and revised COVID-19 measures to reduce the spread of the virus in Massachusetts.

The temporary Executive Order will outline the following measures that will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, December 26th and will continue until Sunday, January 10th, with a possibility of an extension of another week based upon available data.

This pause will reduce allowable occupancy from current capacity levels of 40% to 25% in multiple sectors.

• Notably, this capacity limit will now apply to restaurants. Capacity will be set at 25% of pre-COVID seating capacity and distancing between tables and other requirements will remain in place. Indoor and Outdoor seating capacity must be calculated separately (rather than combining them).
• Small spaces (such as personal services) and other spaces without clear occupancy standards may use 5 people / 1000 square feet as an alternative to the 25% occupancy .
• The 25% limit will not apply to manufacturing, laboratories, drive in movie theaters, or construction
• Employees/staff are exempted from the capacity count
• Limits at indoor event venues are being reduced to 10 people.
• Limits at outdoor event venues are being reduced to 25 people.
• Current limits at private residences remain the same (10 indoors and 25 outdoors)
• Limits at movie theaters will be reduced to 25% (no more than 50 people per theater)
• Limits outdoor performance venues will remain 25% (with the max number reduced to 25 from 50).
• Office spaces will be required to reduce capacity to 25%, but there will continue to be allowances for offices with “critical services”, such as public safety, public health, and other critical services. There is no approval required for these exemptions.
• K-12 schools continue to be exempted from these capacity limits and will need to follow DESE standards and guidelines.

New capacity limits by sector: