Day 108: Massachusetts Reopens

The governor announced our reopening plan this morning. As usual, things are a bit contradictory: even though he extended the lockdown to today (May 18th), the plan for Phase 1 has certain businesses opening today. PlagueBlog cannot advise you which one is actually true. Phase 1 also reopens firearm retailers, even though a federal judge already reopened our firearm retailers over a week ago.

Phase 1 ("Start") seems to consist of three sub-phases, starting today, May 25th, and June 1st, respectively. Today's phase mainly opens up non-essential manufacturing and construction. (Construction in particular has been a confusing area all along, with some scofflaws and some voluntary unnecessary suspension, along with the usual uppity mayors making local rules.) To keep the feds at bay (or perhaps because he's a Republican and actually cares), the governor also reopened churches starting today. Some non-emergency medical care will be included.

May 25th is the big day when both you and your pet can finally get a haircut. Labs and offices can also partially reopen next Monday, and non-essential retail curbside pickup (including recreational pot and libraries) will be allowed. More non-emergency medical care will be allowed. Beaches, parks, drive-ins and some other outdoor locations will be partly reopened on the 25th. The third June 1st sub-phase is only about Boston; offices can't open until then in the city. Group gathering (less than 10 people) and hotel regulations (essential workers only) will remain unchanged until Phase 2, and some toothless advisory about self-quarantining for 14 days if you enter the state also remains in effect.

Phase 2 ("Cautious") has not actually been scheduled; it will happen after at least three weeks of Phase 1 depending on the numbers. On that happy unnamed day, we will be able to get our nails done, go inside non-essential stores and restaurants (apparently with occupancy restrictions), go camping, play unorganized sports, go to day camp, and use hotels (with unspecified restrictions).

Phase 3 ("Vigilant") has not been scheduled either and is even vaguer. Gyms and bars (but not nightclubs) will reopen then. Away camps and most tourist activity will also resume. (The cruise industry falls under federal restrictions.) Phase 4 ("New normal") involves the reopening of nightclubs and large venues. The biggest hole in the whole plan is the absence of any much mention of child care reopening dates, or of any legal protections for employees who cannot return to their now permitted jobs on account of the lack of childcare. [There is some rather unattractive option to send your children to the emergency childcare facilities, but only if you're not working from home.]

P.S. The state numbers were late today. We were up 1%, with some layout changes to the dashboard.