Author: Press Release

Our warm weather and long, sunny days have helped many of us cope with the challenges of COVID-19 and social distancing by taking part in outdoor activities including hiking, swimming, and picnics. Today, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs released standardized guidance for adult and interscholastic sports, which provide guidance for allowable play and proper hygiene protocols to make additional safe athletic activity possible.

Although we are still in in the “Vigilant” Phase III of reopening, some new changes to statewide policies have gone into effect this week. The Commonwealth’s reopening process, spearheaded by the Lieutenant Governor and the Reopening Advisory Board, is designed to provide maximum flexibility to quickly adjust policies and standards to reflect new information, a changing public health environment, and state and national best practices.

This week, many of the conversations around our COVID-19 response will focus on ongoing dialogue between communities, educators, families, and state public health experts on the best and safest ways to provide high-quality education to our students as we prepare for the fall.

Today, the Baker administration announced enhanced community-level data reporting and targeted intervention tools for communities considered at higher risk of COVID-19 spread. Using daily case rate averages, the Commonwealth has identified 33 communities of moderate or high risk and will begin offering additional support for intervention, prevention, or enforcement efforts.

Food insecurity and stress to the Commonwealth’s food system have been serious concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like so many other sectors impacted by the pandemic, farmers, suppliers, retailers, and consumers have had to find creative solutions to meet the challenges of the pandemic.

Today, the Governor announced a number of significant changes to protect the progress we have made in slowing the spread of COVID-19. In particular, the administration has identified instances in which large social gatherings have led to “hot spots” of transmission, and the updates below are designed to address these challenges and other priority issues that have been raised as numbers tick upward in recent weeks.

This week, the Secretary of the Commonwealth announced that ballots have begun being mailed out to those who have requested them for the September 1st statewide primary elections.