Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced a pause on reopening and new restrictions on large group gatherings in order to prevent a resurgence of coronavirus cases.
“While we’ve seen a decrease in #COVID19MA cases + hospitalizations since May, there’s been a slight uptick in certain communities in recent days,” Baker tweeted on Friday.
Baker, a Republican, postponed the second part of Phase 3 reopening and created a multiagency coalition with police officials to crack down on public health violations.
“Now, we are seeing the virus escalate in certain communities around the commonwealth, and we have to put together a plan, working together, to stop it,” Baker said during a Friday news conference. “This fight against COVID-19 is far from over.”
The governor is also updating the restrictions on gathering sizes, reducing the limit on outdoor gatherings from 100 to 50 people starting on Tuesday. The limit on indoor gatherings will remain at 25 people. Face coverings will be required at all gatherings of 10 or more people.
He cited the multiple reports of large parties across the state as a reason for implementing the new order. Baker said the parties violated the public gathering restrictions, social distancing guidelines, and the mask order.
Massachusetts’s numbers, Baker said, “are pretty solid,” but he added that several “clusters” of new cases have broken out across the state.
