Massachusetts will move into the final phase of its COVID-19 reopening plan on Monday, which allows large entertainment and sports venues to reopen and increases gathering limits.
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Gov. Charlie Baker announced Thursday that Massachusetts will move into Phase 4, Step 1 of the state’s reopening plan Monday, March 22. On the same day, the state's COVID-19 travel order will be replaced with a travel advisory, one that no longer requires people entering the state to complete a travel form.
Phase 4, Step 1 of the reopening plan allows large-scale venues like indoor and outdoor stadiums, arenas and ballparks to open at 12% capacity and increases gathering limits at event venues and public settings to 100 people inside and 150 people outside. Private gathering limits remain in place, at 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
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Summer camps, exhibitions and convention halls will also be allowed to operate under Phase 4, and weddings and other events may include dance floors.
State officials say they can loosen restrictions because public health metrics, like the number of COVID cases and hospitalizations, continue to improve.
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Mass. Travel Order Changes
Under the new travel advisory, anyone arriving in the state after being elsewhere for more than 24 hours will be advised to quarantine for 10 days upon their arrival.
Previously, people coming from states without an exemption were required to fill out the form and quarantine for 10 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72 hours prior to arrival.
The advisory does not apply to anyone in the following categories, according to the administration:
- Anyone who is returning to Massachusetts after an absence of fewer than 24 hours.
- Travelers who have a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72 hours prior to their arrival in Massachusetts.
- Workers who enter Massachusetts to perform critical infrastructure functions (as specified by the Federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) while they are commuting to or from or while at work.
- Travelers who are fully vaccinated (i.e. who have received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines OR who have received a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 14 days or more ago and who do not have symptoms).
Under the outgoing travel order, people can travel to Massachusetts from just four states and one U.S. territory: Oregon, Washington, Missouri, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
