COVID-19 pandemic in Boston
The COVID-19 pandemic in Boston is part of an ongoing viral pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 in the Massachusetts city of Boston. The first confirmed case was reported on February1, 2020, and the number of cases began to increase rapidly by March 8. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, declared a state of emergency on March 10. Mayor Marty Walsh declared a public health emergency on March 15. By March 21, more than a hundred people in Boston had tested positive for COVID-19. Most early cases were traceable to a company meeting held in late February by the biotechnology firm Biogen in Boston.
New cases peaked on April 24, 2020 at 659, and began to decline after., there were 14,138 confirmed cases and 730 deaths due to COVID-19 in Boston. 13.6% of cases required hospitalization, 5.2% of cases resulted in death, and 72.2% of cases have recovered. 9.9% of cases were healthcare workers, and 47% of deaths were in long-term care facilities., Boston had completed 104,204 molecular tests, 13.7% of which came back positive. In Boston, 1,533.7 residents had been tested per 10,000 residents.
Timeline
February
The first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported by state officials on February1. The individual, a male in his 20s, had recently returned from Wuhan, China and began experiencing symptoms. He sought medical care but did not require hospitalization, and was therefore able to self-isolate and recover at home.175 executives of Biogen, a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, held a two-day leadership conference from February 26–28 at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf hotel. On February 29, a Biogen executive began to develop symptoms and sought treatment at a Boston area hospital. Suspecting COVID-19 was the cause of the illness, the executive requested a test, but was told by hospital staff that it was not necessary.
March
March 1–15
On March 4, staff from Biogen contacted the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to report that two executives who had recently traveled from Europe to Boston and had attended the February employee meeting had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 upon returning home. The same day, a "significant number" of Biogen employees asked to be tested for the virus at Massachusetts General Hospital, which had not been informed that anyone at the company had been exposed. The state police announced Shattuck Street would be closed because a group of 60 individuals were being transported along the route to Brigham and Women's Hospital. On March5, Biogen reported that three individuals who had attended the company event in Boston the previous week had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.On March 6, the Boston Public Health Commission announced three new presumptive cases of SARS-CoV-2. Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency for the state of Massachusetts on March 10. Boston announced the closure of the Eliot K-8 school on March 11. On March 13, the 2020 Boston Marathon was postponed to September 14, 2020. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced the closure of all Boston schools from March 17 until April 27.
On March 12, the Boston Marriott Long Wharf hotel, which had hosted the Biogen company gathering, closed temporarily. In a letter to their guests, the hotel said it made the decision in cooperation with the Boston Public Health Commission.
On March 15, Mayor Walsh declared a public health emergency due to the concerns over COVID-19. Restaurants, bar rooms, and nightclubs were required to reduce their capacity by at least 50 percent. Governor Charlie Baker limited gatherings to below 25 people.
A 59-year-old Worcester man died on a flight from Dubai to Boston, sparking speculation that he had died from COVID-19. He had been sick with gastrointestinal problems and was in cardiac arrest during the flight. On March 16, Massachusetts State Police said an autopsy revealed he did not have COVID-19.
On March 15, Baker ordered all public and private schools in Massachusetts to close for three weeks, from March 17 through April7. The same day, he also banned eating at restaurants, banned gatherings of more than 25 people, relaxed unemployment claim requirements, and enacted other interventions to try to slow the spread of COVID-19.
March 16–31
On March 16, Mayor Walsh announced the closure of the Boston Public Library system. The MBTA also announced that service would be reduced starting March 17. Mayor Walsh also announced the closure of all construction sites starting March 17. On March 18, the City of Boston closed all playgrounds.The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced that, starting March 17, it would run the subway and buses at Saturday levels of service during the week, with express buses still running, ferries not running, and commuter rail running on a modified schedule. The next day, service was increased on the Blue Line, Green Line E branch, and some bus lines to reduce crowding. Frequency on Massport shuttles to Logan International Airport was reduced or canceled.
On March 19, the Boston Water and Sewer Commission suspended all water service terminations. On March 23, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued an order for all employers that do not provide essential services to close their workspaces. The limit of gatherings was lowered to 10 people. Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued a two-week stay-at-home advisory. On March 25, Governor Baker extended the closure of schools to May4.
On March 30, Mayor Walsh announced that a partnership will create subsidized housing for a thousand Boston Public Schools families at risk of displacement. On March 31, Governor Baker extended his non-essential business closure to May4. Later that evening, the MBTA announced that 18 transit workers had tested positive for the virus. In addition, the Boston Police Department confirmed that 19 officers and three civilian employees had all tested positive.
April
April 1–15
The Archdiocese of Boston announced that eight priests had tested positive for the disease. On April2, Mayor Walsh announced plans to convert the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center into a field hospital with 500 beds assigned to the homeless and 500 to accept COVID-19 patients from city hospitals.On April 2, more than 500 healthcare workers in Boston hospitals were reported to have tested positive for COVID-19. On April 5, Mayor Walsh announced new regulations for social distancing in Boston. He encouraged everyone to wear a face covering when outside. The BPHC ordered for everyone except essential workers stay at home from 9:00pm to 6:00am every day, enforcing a curfew.
On April 5, Boston City Hall was closed to the public except for Tuesdays and Fridays, from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Every individual entering City Hall, including employees, was required to complete a self-screening for COVID-19 symptoms. On April 9, a new mortgage relief partnership was created to aid homeowners during the pandemic.
On April 9, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology published a preliminary study of sewage samples taken in the Boston area on March 25, in an effort to determine the extent of COVID-19 infections. Based on concentrations of the virus found in the samples, the study suggested that approximately 115,000 of the Boston region's 2.3 million people were infected. At the time of sampling, Boston had only 284 confirmed cases in the area.
Starting the evening of Friday April 10, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation closed some parkways to vehicle traffic to allow recreational pedestrians to spread out, and reduced parking availability at some state parks. The City of Boston also reduced parking near the Arnold Arboretum.
April 16–30
On April 16, Mayor Walsh announced that a thousand residents will be invited to a Massachusetts study related to COVID-19 antibody testing. On April 19, Boston deployed seven Boston Public Works trucks to broadcast a message about COVID-19. On April 21, Governor Baker announced the closure of all K-12 schools in Massachusetts through the end of the school year.On April 22, former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts announced that her oldest brother had died from COVID-19 in Oklahoma.
On April 25, Governor Baker addressed the topic of when stay-at-home measures and closures of non-essential businesses would end. When restrictions were originally announced in mid-March, they were slated to end at noon on April7; later their projected end date was pushed to May4. Baker said it was unlikely restrictions would be lifted by then because the surge of cases had hit later than expectedMay4 presumed a surge in early April. Baker said the process of reopening will begin when hospitalizations start to decline consistently, and when there is "some evidence that we are in fact over the hump... with respect to the surge."
On April 27, Boston Public Health Commission extended the public health emergency declaration until further notice. On April 28, Governor Baker extended the stay-at-home advisory and non-essential business closure to May 18. He also said that once the advisory expires, the process of reopening will begin in stages, and not happen all at once. On April 29, the Public Health Advisory enforcing a curfew in Boston was extended to May 18.
May
May 1–15
On May 1, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker ordered all residents to wear a mask in public places when social distancing measures are not possible. This order goes into effect on May6. On May4, hundreds of protesters gathered near the Massachusetts State House to protest closures.On May6, the city of Boston launched a major expansion in the public testing of COVID-19 in Boston. The Boston Resiliency Fund awarded $1 million in grants to assist organizations helping to aid residents impacted most by the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 8, Boston city officials announced that all parades and festivals were to be suspended to and on September 7.
On May13, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced his guidelines for reopening, starting May 18. He mentioned that the reopening will be in four phases, from now to later this year. The first phase, will be very strict reopening, with just a few businesses opening again and with major social distancing and mask wearing regulations. The second phase will be cautious, with strict regulations remaining but more businesses reopening. The third phase will be a phase where most businesses open, but with very strict regulations. The fourth and final phase, as Baker stated, will be when a COVID-19 vaccine allows resumption of a new normal. In any of the first three phases, Baker states the state may have to go back a phase, if COVID-19 starts spreading again. Governor Baker stated that more details will be mentioned on May 18.
May 16–31
On May 16, Mayor Walsh released results of antibody testing among Boston residents. Voluntarily, 1,000 residents were signed up and 786 were eligible. 750 residents participated in COVID-19 antibody testing. Mayor Walsh stated that antibodies were present in 9.9% of the 750 residents. 2.6% of the residents were asymptomatic and tested positive for COVID-19. Mayor Walsh stated that the city can draw a conclusion that most residents have not been yet exposed to the virus.On May 18, Governor Baker released the details of the plan to reopen businesses in Massachusetts, and renamed the stay-at-home advisory to a "safer at home" advisory. The plan allows places of worship, essential businesses, manufacturing businesses, and construction sites to reopen with strict restrictions on May 18. Also as of May 18, hospitals and health centers may begin providing urgent preventative care and treatment services to high-risk patients. Baker also announced that people who choose to ride the MBTA will be required to wear masks. Beginning on May 25, additional businesses will be able to open, also with restrictions. Although Baker's plan includes office buildings in the list of businesses allowed to open on May 25, offices within Boston will not be allowed to open until June 1.
On May 19, the City of Boston announced that construction sites were to open slowly. The city was to allow necessary construction on schools and hospitals until May 25. On May 26, all construction was to be allowed in Boston, with social distancing and mask wearing.
On May 26, Baker stated in a press conference that the surge in COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts is over, which is evidenced by declining numbers of people hospitalized by the disease. He announced that the Boston Hope field hospital, located in Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, would no longer be accepting new patients. The facility has treated over 700 people infected with COVID-19, and has provided shelter to some of Boston's homeless community. Baker also mentioned that other field hospitals will begin to close as well.
On May 28, the Boston Marathon was cancelled for the first time in 124 years. Mayor Walsh cancelled after stating that a marathon attracting 30,000 runners was not feasible this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the marathon was to be held as a virtual event.
On May 28, Mayor Walsh announced a new "healthy streets" program to promote social distancing in the roads of Boston. The buses and MBTA trains would not accept as many passengers and locations of bus stops and train stops would change. Mayor Walsh announced that bike lanes would be built fast, to allow social distancing for bikes. These bike lanes were to be built rapidly, as they were necessary. The city would also be supporting small businesses in Boston. The city will help move some restaurants outdoors, to further allow social distancing.
On May 29, the City of Boston released a "return to workplace framework" to safely reopen workplaces. Social distancing of 6 feet was to be enforced in all workplaces. Workplaces were to reduce capacity to 25% of their original capacity. All workplaces were required to ensure access to handwashing facilities on site, including soap and running water, wherever possible and encourage frequent handwashing; alcohol-based hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol were allowed to be used as an alternative. Workplaces were to avoid sharing office materials. Cleaning and disinfecting frequently were to be enforced in all workplaces in Boston.
June
June 1–15
Massachusetts Governor Baker announced on June 6 that Phase 2 of his reopening plan was to begin on June 8. The first portion of the phase will allow childcare, day camps, lodging retail stores, and outdoor seating at restaurants to reopen under strict regulations. Additional services, including indoor dining and nail and tanning salons, will be allowed to reopen at an unspecified later date as a part of phase two if the positive trends in COVID-19 cases continue.On June 8, the Public Health Advisory enforcing a curfew in Boston from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am was lifted. This came with the start of Phase 2 of the state's reopening plan. Residents were now free to be out of their homes at night, with social distancing and mask wearing in place.
On June 9, Mayor Walsh and the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center set up a new pop-up testing site in Roxbury. This is as a result of the recent protests in and around Boston over the Killing of George Floyd. This testing site was to be open June 10 and June 11 from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm to the general public in Washington Park Mall's parking lot.
On June 11, the Cambridge-based biotech company Moderna announced they had developed a COVID-19 vaccine ready to be tested in a large scale. Moderna had 30,000 volunteers ready to test the vaccine, to see its effects. In July, Moderna will test this vaccine near Boston. If the tests end up successful, they will be able to start vaccinating the general public.
On June 11, Massachusetts announced a study with 150 volunteers to test if COVID-19 survivor plasma can prevent COVID-19. Thousands of COVID-19 patients worldwide have been treated with convalescent plasma already. If this method of therapy proves effective, it will be used worldwide in most patients. This was stated as a possible new method to eradicate COVID-19 worldwide.
On June 12, Boston Public Library announced the launch of their "BPL to Go" program on June 22. This program allowed patrons to "order" library items by placing a hold on the item, and then safely picking up the item from a branch library. This program was created by Boston to allow residents to resume checking out items from libraries while still staying safe from COVID-19.
On June 12, the Boston Bruins team announced that one of their players had tested positive for COVID-19. Phase 2 of the reopening plan required all Bruins players to be tested before using any team facilities. The team was told that the player, whose identity remains confidential, was asymptomatic so far.
On June 15, Boston reopened all city playgrounds for the first time in three months. As the city was reopening, Mayor Walsh stated that playgrounds should reopen, although with strict restrictions in place.
June 16–30
On June 17, the state of Massachusetts urged everyone who participated in the George Floyd protests in Massachusetts to get tested for COVID-19. The state had set up over 50 pop-up free testing sites specifically for these protesters. These testing sites were to be open only on June 17 and June 18.On June 19, many restaurants in Boston announced that they were closing permanently. They had lost money due to COVID-19 and reopening wasn't safe for many months, so these restaurants were forced to close.
On June 19, Massachusetts Governor Baker announced that Step 2 of Phase 2 of reopening in Massachusetts was to begin on June 22. This change came as Governor Baker stated that the trends of COVID-19 statewide have been positive. This will allow indoor dining, nail salons, and tanning salons to begin opening. Also, workplaces in Boston, which were previously required to reduce capacity to 25%, were now allowed to increase capacity to 50% of their original capacity before the pandemic.
On June 23, Governor Baker announced the test results of those who has participated in Black Lives Matter protests. He announced that only 2.5% of the protesters who tested were positive, and Governor Baker stated that he was very pleased with these results.
On June 30, Governor Baker stated that Massachusetts may begin Phase 3 of reopening as early as July 6. Although he was still looking at the data, he announced his plan for Phase 3 of reopening in the state. Phase 3 was to allow museums, fitness centers, moderate-size movie theaters, overnight youth camps, sports for all ages, and indoor recreational facilities to open with social distancing and mask wearing restrictions remaining in place.
July
July 1–15
On July 1, a new COVID-19 testing site opened in North End of Boston. NEW Health, an affiliate of Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Medical Center, offered a new testing site on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Testing was to be available by appointment to North End residents and NEW Health patients.On July 2, Massachusetts announced that Step 1 of Phase 3 of reopening in Massachusetts was to begin on July 6, in all of Massachusetts except Boston. Boston was to enter Step 1 of Phase 3 one week later, on July 13. This was to allow indoor gatherings of up to 25 people, and outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people. Movie theaters, museums, and sports were allowed to resume. However, social distancing restrictions were to remain in place, with 40% capacity limits on movie theaters and gyms. Masks were also to remain mandatory in all public places.
On July 7, Mayor Walsh stated in a press conference that Boston may be the first city to truly recover from COVID-19. Walsh stated that if Boston's tourism industry returns, COVID-19 could again surge in the city. However, he stated if the residents continue to follow COVID-19 precautions, Boston could recover from COVID-19 within just a few months.
On July 13, the City of Boston included the casino Encore Boston Harbor in the list of businesses that could open in Phase 3. However, customers were to be required to wear masks as well as have temperature screening at entry. Protective plastic dividers were set up to enforce social distancing.
July 16–31
On July 16, Mayor Walsh urged all Boston residents to get tested for COVID-19. "Coronavirus testing is widely available," he stated in a press conference. Boston Health and Human Services Chief Marty Martinez stated anyone who has not been practicing social distancing or wearing a face mask should be tested.On July 20, the MBTA resumed collecting fares and requiring front-door boarding on buses and trolleys, and installed plexiglass shields for drivers.
On July 21, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association's Board of Directors voted to delay the start of the fall sports season until September 14. This decision was made in compliance with state guidelines for K-12 sports in the state.
On July 21, Mayor Walsh announced another free pop-up testing site had opened in Allston. The City of Boston partnered with East Boston Neighborhood Health Center to make this testing site available. "COVID-19 testing is fundamental to individuals and families' clarity, and it's also important for guiding our gradual and safe reopening plans. As a City, we will continue to place the health and safety of our residents as our top priority so we must continue to make decisions based on public health data," Mayor Walsh stated in a press conference.
On July 24, Massachusetts Governor Baker announced a new travel restriction for the state, which was to go into effect on August 1. All individuals coming into Massachusetts from another state was required to fill out a "Massachusetts Travel Form" and quarantine at home for 14 days. The originally exempt states were Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine, Hawaii, New Jersey, and New York. For a state to be exempt, the seven-day average of daily cases was required to be less than six per 100,000, and the positive test rate was required to be less than five percent. This order was to be punishable by a $500 fine for each day a traveler was not following the order.
August
August 1–2
On August 1, Mayor Walsh announced that Boston Public Schools would not return to 100% in-person learning even if in-class learning would resume in the fall. He stated that students would participate in a hybrid of in-school and remote learning. He also gave parents the option to have their children participate in 100% remote learning.Epidemiology
Total cases and deaths
, Boston had 14,138 confirmed cases of COVID-19., a total of 1,392 cases were healthcare workers. Deaths in Boston have been concentrated among the elderly., Boston had 730 reported deaths due to SARS-CoV-2. Many deaths from COVID-19 have been at long-term care facilities., a total of 341 COVID-19 related deaths in Boston were in long-term care facilities., a total of 453 cases were among the homeless.Cases by age group
Case rates have been significantly higher among the elderly.Cases by sex
Overall, cases and case rates have been approximately equal across both genders in Boston.Cases by category
The Boston Public Health Commission has rolled out a data dashboard for COVID-19 which is updated daily through Boston's government website.Cases by district
Most Boston COVID-19 cases were traced to a district by Boston Public Health Commission. BPHC releases a public weekly report including COVID-19 cases by district in Boston.Cases and deaths by ethnicity
Cases by ethnicity
Many Boston COVID-19 confirmed cases were attributed to a race/ethnicity by the Boston Public Health Commission. BPHC updates these numbers on weekdays.Deaths by ethnicity
Most Boston COVID-19 deaths were also identified to a race/ethnicity. BPHC updates these numbers on weekdays as well.Government response
Closures and orders
On March 10, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency for the state. On March 15, Mayor Walsh declared a public health emergency due to the spread of COVID-19 in the city. Restaurants and bar rooms were required to reduce capacity, each by at least 50%. On April 27, BPHC extended the public health emergency until further notice.On March 13, Mayor Walsh announced the closure of all Boston Public Schools. On March 15, Governor Baker closed all schools in the state for three weeks, from March 17 to April 7. On March 25, the Massachusetts school closures were extended to May4. On April 21, Governor Charlie Baker closed all K-12 schools for the remainder of the school year.
On March 13, the Boston Marathon was postponed to September 14. On May 28, the Boston Marathon was cancelled for the first time in 124 years. Mayor Walsh stated that the Boston Marathon, which usually attracts over 30,000 runners was not feasible in 2020. On May 8, all parades and festivals were suspended to and on Labor Day of 2020.
On March 15, Massachusetts Governor Baker limited gatherings to 25 people. On March 23, the limit on public gatherings was lowered further to 10 people.
On March 16, Mayor Walsh announced the closure of the Boston Public Library. On March 17, Mayor Walsh announced the closure of construction sites. On March 18, Boston closed all playgrounds in the city.
On March 23, Massachusetts Governor Baker issued an order to all employers that do not provide essential services to close. MDPH issued a two-week stay-at-home advisory for all residents through April 7. On March 31, Massachusetts Governor Baker extended both the statewide stay-at-home advisory and the non-essential business closure to May4. On April 28, Massachusetts Governor Baker extended the statewide stay-at-home advisory and non-essential business closure to May 18.
On April 5, Mayor Walsh encouraged all Boston residents to wear a face mask in public. On May1, Governor Baker ordered all residents statewide to wear a face covering in public starting May6, when social distancing is not possible.
On April 5, the Boston Public Health Commission enforced a daily curfew from 9:00pm to 6:00pm. On April 29, BPHC extended the nightly curfew in Boston to May 18. On May 16, this curfew was extended indefinitely until further notice.
On July 24, Governor Baker announced a new travel restriction for the state, which was to go into effect on August 1. All travelers enetering Massachusetts from another state was required to fill out a "Massachusetts Travel Form" and quarantine for 14 days. The originally exempt states were Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine, Hawaii, New Jersey, and New York. For a state to be exempt, the 7-day average of daily cases was required to be less than 6 per 100,000, and the positive test rate was required to be less than 5%. This order was to be punishable by a $500 fine for each day a traveler was not following the order.
Mask supply
Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders said a shipment of three million masks the state had negotiated to buy from BJ's Wholesale Club, was impounded by the federal government from the Port of New York and New Jersey on March 18. A further order from MSC Industrial Supply for 400 masks to be delivered on March 20 was also claimed by the federal government. Governor Baker reached out to the New England Patriots professional American football team, who used the team plane "AirKraft" to bring approximately 1.2 million N95 masks from China to Boston.Field hospitals and testing sites
On April2, Mayor Walsh announced plans to convert the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center into a field hospital with 500 beds assigned to the homeless and 500 beds to accept COVID-19 patients from hospitals. This was the largest field hospital in the state, with the name of Boston Hope. It cost $12 million and consisted of 1,000 single rooms separated by sheetrock walls, of which 200 rooms were equipped with oxygen lines, and six set up with intensive care units. It received its first patient on April 10 and treated some 720 acute-care patients over seven and a half weeks, including homeless people and recuperating COVID-19 patients.On June 9, Mayor Walsh and the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center set up a new free pop-up testing site in Boston. This testing site was to be open June 10 and June 11 from 12pm to 7pm to the general public in Washington Park Mall's parking lot. This particular testing site was to be temporary, situated in the accessible district of Roxbury. Mayor Walsh stated that he wanted to make a highly accessible COVID-19 testing site, for the Boston residents who participated in protests and demonstrations over the Killing of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter.
In July, many free testing sites were set up in several neighborhoods in Boston, including Charlestown, Mattapan, and Roxbury. This was done in response to CDC's recommendation to expand testing in America.
Reopening
On May13, Governor Baker announced his 4-phase plan for reopening, beginning May 18. He said the four phases would be slow in changing as Massachusetts would slowly resume normal life. He planned for the state to start reopening, then move on to a cautious phase. Then after more months the state would move onto a regulated vigilant state before a vaccine allowed resumption of a new normal. Baker said in any of the first three phases, the state may have to move back a phase. He mentioned that more details were to be stated on May 18.On May 18, Governor Baker released the details of the plan to reopen businesses in Massachusetts. The plan allows places of worship, essential businesses, manufacturing businesses, and construction sites to reopen with strict restrictions on May 18. Also as of May 18, hospitals and health centers may begin providing urgent preventative care and treatment services to high-risk patients. Baker also announced that people who choose to ride the MBTA will be required to wear masks. Beginning on May 25, additional businesses will be able to open, also with restrictions. Although Baker's plan includes office buildings in the list of businesses allowed to open on May 25, offices within Boston will not be allowed to open until June 1.
Governor Baker announced on June 6 that Massachusetts would begin entering phase two of the reopening plan starting on June 8, following positive trends in access to testing and decreasing hospitalizations. The first portion of the phase will allow childcare, day camps, lodging retail stores, outdoor seating at restaurants, and children's sports programs to reopen with strict precautions. All professional sports teams would have to be tested for COVID-19 before using any team facilities. Additional services, including indoor dining and nail and tanning salons, will be allowed to reopen at an unspecified later date as a part of phase two if the positive trends in COVID-19 cases continue.
On June 8, the public health emergency enforcing a curfew was lifted by Mayor Walsh, as the city was reopening. On June 12, Boston Public Library announced a new "BPL to Go" program where patrons can place a hold on an item and pick it up safely at a branch library. On June 15, all Boston playgrounds were reopened, as part of Phase 2 of reopening in Massachusetts.
On June 19, Governor Baker stated that Step 2 of Phase 2 of reopening in the state was to begin on June 22. This announcement came following continuous positive trends of COVID-19 statewide. This was to allow nail salons, tanning salons, and indoor dining to reopen statewide. Also, the capacity of which Boston workplaces were to reduce to was raised from 25% to 50%, in all workplaces in Boston. Governor Baker advised residents to still keep precautions as the virus was still not eradicated.
Although Governor Baker was still looking at the data in the state, he announced his plan for Phase 3 of reopening in the state on June 30. Phase 3 was to allow museums, fitness centers, moderate-size movie theaters, overnight youth camps, sports for all ages, and indoor recreational facilities to open with restrictions remaining in place. Governor Baker announced that Massachusetts may move into Phase 3 as early as July 6. On July 2, the state confirmed that Step 1 of Phase 3 of reopening was allowed to start on July 6, in all of Massachusetts except for Boston, which was to start Phase 3 one week later, on July 13. On July 13, the City of Boston decided to include the casino Encore Boston Harbor for reopening during Phase 3, with temperature screening upon entry and masks being mandatory.
Prevention measures
On May 28, Mayor Walsh announced a new "healthy streets" program to promote social distancing in the roads of Boston. The buses and MBTA trains would not accept as many passengers. Many bus and train stops would relocate or close down altogether. Mayor Walsh announced that bike lanes would be built fast, to allow social distancing for bikes. The city would also be supporting small businesses in Boston. The city will help move some restaurants outdoors, to further allow social distancing. This would be implemented with transportation barriers, to allow more space.On May 29, the Mayor Walsh released a "return to workplace framework" to safely reopen businesses and workplaces. Social distancing of 6 feet was to be enforced. Workplaces were to reduce capacity to 25% of their original capacity before COVID-19. All workplaces were required to ensure access to handwashing facilities on site, including soap and running water. Workplaces were to avoid sharing office materials. Cleaning and disinfecting frequently were to be enforced in all workplaces and businesses in Boston. In businesses, customers were to social distance inside the business as well as outside. Masks were to be required from all employees and customers, in all workplaces and businesses in Boston.
Societal effects
The sudden surge of cases in Boston during the week of March9 led many organizations to ask employees to work from home, and prompted museums and libraries to close. This led to a noticeable decline in Boston's rush hour traffic; in some cases, drive times for major highways dropped by 30 to 50 percent. Following the beginning of reopening Massachusetts on May 18, the Greater Boston Area began to see the return of severe traffic congestion during rush hour, especially seen on the Southeast Expressway. Concerns were raised with the MBTA's response to coronavirus, with worsening traffic congestion.Food supplies and supermarkets
, especially since March 11, led to shortages of some products, as well as causing crowds at grocery stores as early in the day as 7:00a.m. Pandemic supplies like sanitizing supplies and masks remained difficult to get for weeks. Grocery retailers, as required by state law, offered older and more vulnerable people a time in the early morning when they could shop separately. Later, emergency orders required grocery stores to implement stricter measures, including limiting the number of people allowed inside stores at a time, and marking queues to maintain social distancing. They installed plastic guards to reduce contact between customers and cashiers, and designated some aisles one-way. By the end of May, grocery stores started expanding hours, with toilet paper back on shelves, but home baking supplies like yeast and flour in low quantity.The Greater Boston Food Bank said that it experienced double the normal demand for food, distributing more food per month than it ever had before. It also said that because food donations from restaurants and grocery stores plummeted, it was spending about 50 times as much money to buy food, though the Massachusetts government provided cash assistance, and the federal government provided surplus food purchased from farmers.
Schools and universities
School closures began in early March, when Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced on March9 that it was moving to online-only classes for the remainder of the spring semester. Northeastern University, which had already closed their satellite campuses in San Francisco and Seattle, hesitated to close their main campus for fear of international students losing their F visa status. On March6 the university publicly called on the Department of Homeland Security to grant clemency for international students so the university could close.On March 10, Harvard University announced that its classes would be online-only for the rest of the spring semester. The University of Massachusetts Boston informed faculty that they should prepare to teach remotely.
On March 11, Northeastern University and Boston University moved all classes online. On March 14, Northeastern University informed students they would need to vacate their dormitories by 5:00 p.m. on March 17. Up to this point students were taking online classes but allowed to remain on university property. Boston College moved all classes online, and all students were told to vacate their dorms by March 15.
On March 13, Boston Mayor Walsh announced that Boston Public Schools would be closed starting on March 17 until April 27. On March 15, Governor Baker ordered all schools in Massachusetts closed for three weeks from March 17 through April 7. On March 25, he extended the closing through May 4. On April 21, he extended it to the remainder of the school year.
, pictured in 2005, was cancelled in 2020 by Mayor Walsh
On August 1, Mayor Walsh announced that Boston Public Schools would not return to 100% in-person learning even if in-class learning would resume in the fall. He stated that students would participate in a hybrid of in-school and remote learning. He also gave parents the option to have their children learn 100% remotely.
Sports and recreation
Several leagues began postponing or suspending their sports seasons starting March 12, and Major League Baseball canceled the remainder of spring training. On March 16, after the CDC recommended restricting events of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks, the major league baseball season was postponed indefinitely. Also on March 12, the National Basketball Association announced the season would be suspended for 30 days. The National Hockey League season was suspended indefinitely. Boston Celtics player Marcus Smart announced on March 18 that he had tested positive for COVID-19, having been tested five days prior.In college sports, the National Collegiate Athletic Association canceled all winter and spring tournaments, most notably the Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, affecting colleges and universities statewide.
The Boston Athletic Association canceled the 2020 Boston Marathon on May 28. In March they had postponed the race, which usually takes place in April, until September. However, Boston Mayor Walsh said on May 28, "There's no way to hold this usual race format without bringing large numbers of people into close proximity. While our goal and our hope was to make progress in containing the virus and recovering our economy, this kind of event would not be responsible or realistic on September 14 or any time this year." 2020 was the first year in the race's 124-year history that the event was postponed or canceled. Runners will still be able to participate "virtually" in September, and will receive a medal and other items if they send proof that they complete the race in under six hours. Those who qualified for the 2020 marathon will be eligible to compete in the 2021 race.