Boston rolling back reopening amid surge in virus cases

BOSTON — In a Monday afternoon press conference, Mayor Walsh announced that the City of Boston would be rolling back to Phase 2, Step 2 to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Walsh, beginning Wednesday, Boston will be moving back into a “modified Phase 2, Step 2 of reopening.

“Our goal with this three-week pause [is] to slow the spread now so we can avoid more severe shutdowns later on,” Mayor Walsh said.

This will last for at least three weeks with a focus on prioritizing essential activities like having students with high needs return to school.

Some of the changes include closing indoor event spaces temporarily for indoor use. Indoor recreational and athletic facilities will close for general use. Retail stores and personal services like salons can remain open.

Indoor dining at restaurants and bars may continue with strict guidelines.

Stan DeMartinis, a Planet Fitness Franchisee in Boston, said he’s puzzled by the decision to shutter gyms. He said he’s invested in top of the line HVAC systems and other measures that offer a safe, socially-distanced workout experience.

“I just don’t know why the politicians aren’t listening to the data and I just ask that the mayor’s office follows the data,” he said.

Boston 25 News reached out to the governor’s office regarding the changes being implemented in the state’s largest city.

“Municipalities have the jurisdiction to implement local restrictions and the Baker-Polito Administration fully supports local officials’ efforts to slow the spread,” press secretary Sarah Finlaw said.

Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone said his community’s decision to implement a similar rollback as Boston was a no-brainer. He believes even more closures will be necessary to address accelerating COVID-19 numbers.

“We are still in conversations about other activities that need to be addressed and how to address them,” he said. “The reason we are moving now is because there’s more than a sense of urgency, there’s alarm by the data we’ve been seeing and [are] continuing to see.”

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