Statewide stay at home advisory among new changes implemented by Gov. Baker in effort to curb COVID-19 spike

BOSTON — After the state has seen more than 1,000 new daily cases of COVID-19 for nine consecutive days, and as the number of people who need hospital care for a coronavirus infection rises, Gov. Charlie Baker announced a series of new executive orders related to the state’s reopening plan. These new orders will take effect in the commonwealth on Friday, Nov. 6 at 12:01 a.m.

>>>Read the governor’s full revised order here

Gov. Baker announced the reimplementation of the state’s stay at home advisory, which will be in effect from 10 p.m. through 5 a.m., with certain exceptions like people going to work, going for a walk, and running critical errands, like getting groceries, to address health needs.

Additionally, the governor said that indoor entertainment industries like theaters, casinos, performance venues, gyms, museums, youth and adult amateur sports activities, close contact personal services like hair and nail salons, and indoor recreational facilities will have to close by 9:30 p.m.

Restaurants will also have to stop table service by 9:30 p.m., though they will still be able to conduct carry-out and delivery orders for food and non-alcoholic beverages after that time. Similarly, liquor sales at stores will also have to stop by 9:30 p.m. Adult-use marijuana sales also must stop by 9:30 p.m., but that doesn’t apply to medical sales.

New COVID-19 restrictions in MA a blow to restaurants, entertainment centers Business owners say Baker's new executive orders limiting dining restrictions and curfew are going to severely impact restaurants and entertainment centers.

Baker’s series of new orders also brought the indoor gathering limit to 10 people at private residences, while limiting the number of people able to gather outdoor at private residences to 25 people. Those gatherings must also end by 9:30 p.m., the governor’s order says.

Finally, Gov. Baker signed an updated executive order regarding face coverings, requiring them for all people over the age of 5 years old in public spaces, even where people can maintain six feet of distance from others. There are still exceptions for those with medical conditions.

The governor said that, since Labor Day, COVID-19 cases have increased by 278% in the commonwealth, while hospitalizations have increased by 145% in Mass.

“We’ve let down our guard and have work to do,” Gov. Baker said, adding that those trends do not mean the state should shut down its economy or close its schools.

The revised order will be in effect in Massachusetts for “at least a month,” meaning that they will still be in place during Thanksgiving.

There were 2,431 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Massachusetts over the weekend, 10,013 people with confirmed or probable cases of the virus have died here since mid-March, and the autumn resurgence of the virus appears to be underway. The state has reported more than 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 each day for more than a week.

On Friday, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo announced that she was cutting her state’s gathering limit from 15 to 10 people, prohibiting spectators at youth sporting events for the next two weeks, curtailing visits at hospitals and nursing homes, and closing indoor athletic facilities for one week. She said Rhode Island was “on a path” to opening a field hospital in the next few weeks, according to WPRI.

Gov. Baker announces new coronavirus restrictions that take effect Friday As COVID-19 cases continue to grow in the state, Gov. Baker announced new executive orders Monday in efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

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