Today, Governor Baker announced that Step Two of Phase II of the Commonwealth’s four-phase reopening plan, Reopening Massachusetts, will begin on Monday, June 22 to allow additional industries to resume operations under sector-specific guidelines.
Businesses and sectors set to begin operating in Step Two of Phase II are subject to compliance with all mandatory safety standards.
On May 18, the Reopening Advisory Board released a four-phased plan to reopen the economy based on public health data, spending at least three weeks in each phase. Key public health data, such as new cases and hospitalizations, has been closely monitored and has seen a significant decline, allowing for Step Two of Phase II to begin on June 22.
The following will be eligible to reopen in Step Two of Phase II on Monday, June 22:
- Indoor table service at restaurants
- Close-contact personal services, with restrictions
- Retail dressing rooms, by appointment only
- Offices, at 50 percent capacity
The full list along with safety protocols are available at mass.gov/reopening.
In order to give Step 2 businesses time to prepare, the Commonwealth has previously released sector-specific guidance in advance of Phase II for industries including restaurants, close-contact personal services and sectors not otherwise addressed:
- Guidance for Restaurants
- Guidance for Close-Contact Personal Services
- Guidance for Other Industries
- Guidance for Sectors Not Otherwise Addressed
Before these sectors can resume operations under the guidelines, businesses must meet all safety standards, create a COVID-19 control plan, and complete a self-certification.