The Commonwealth has announced that effective Monday, October 5th, lower risk communities will be permitted to move into Step 2 of Phase III of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan. All other communities will remain in Phase III, Step 1. Governor Charlie Baker also issued a revised gatherings order. Industry specific guidance and protocols for a range of…
During the ongoing Massachusetts 191st General Court’s 2019-2020 session – which has been extended through action taken by the Legislature – the House of Representatives has passed emergency legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as major legislation relating to education, transportation, and climate change. Following a decisive vote in July to extend the…
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) has announced the first human case of West Nile virus (WNV) in the state this year. The individual is a man in his 50s who was likely exposed to the virus in southwestern Essex County or eastern Middlesex County. The risk of human infection with WNV is considered…
Governor Baker has announced a new set of initiatives aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, especially in higher risk communities that have seen a recent uptick in cases. While Massachusetts has seen a decrease in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations since May, there has been a slight uptick in certain communities in recent days. These…
Starting August 1st, all travelers entering the Commonwealth, including out of state residents, Massachusetts residents returning home, and students returning to campus, will be required to comply with a new travel order. All visitors and Massachusetts residents returning home must fill out a “Massachusetts Travel Form” and quarantine for 14 days unless they are coming…
Starting this week, grocery stores will now be allowed to operate at 50 percent of maximum permitted occupancy, an increase from the 40 percent permitted previously. A temporary ban on reusable bags in stores has also been lifted and municipalities with plastic bag bans may resume enforcement of those bans. The updated retail safety standards for…
Late last week, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) announced that eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus has been detected in mosquitoes in Massachusetts for the first time this year. The presence of EEE was confirmed by the Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory in a mosquito sample collected on July 1 in the community of Orange…
This week, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed An Act relative to accountability for vulnerable children and families, which strengthens the laws ensuring the safety and well-being of the Commonwealth’s youngest and most at-risk residents. Recent reports from Department of Children and Families (DCF) show that reports of child abuse to the DCF have declined…
Today, Governor Baker announced the launch of free COVID-19 testing sites in eight communities from July 10 to August 14 to help stop the spread of COVID-19. This “Stop the Spread” initiative is a data-driven effort to reduce the prevalence of COVID-19 in communities that are above the state average in total cases and positive…
As the Commonwealth moves into Phase III of the reopening plan, businesses should take care to stay in compliance with the Mandatory Safety Standards for Workplaces. These standards apply universally to all reopening workplaces, and are designed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission to employees and customers during the first phase of reopening, and…
