Businesses may increase capacity as COVID-19 vaccinations roll out
Don’t be surprised if you see more people out and about in stores, gyms, and other businesses next week.
Gov. Charlie Baker has increased capacity restrictions for businesses, raising it from 25 percent to 40 percent effective Monday at 5 a.m. The limited capacity rollback was introduced in December as COVID-19 cases surged following Christmas.
Current restrictions limiting gathering sizes to 10 persons indoors and 25 persons outdoors remain in place.
All other orders and safety guidance remain in place throughout the Commonwealth as the state continues to fight COVID-19 and vaccination ramps up in all regions. Vaccination appointments recently opened up, by appointment, for residents 75 years and older. Vaccination sites may be found here.
Sites close to Grafton include Market 32 in Sutton, Wegmans in Northborough, and Price Chopper in Shrewsbury. Vaccine appointments will be available at the Grafton CVS on February 11.
On Thursday, the state reported 2,186 new cases, with 53 new deaths, according to the Department of Public Health. Since the start of the pandemic, 504,564 people have been diagnosed with Covid and 14,415 have died.
There are an estimated 64,431 currently active Covid cases in the state. The average age of the 1,635 patients now hospitalized with the virus is 68 years old.
In Grafton, the town has had 906 total cases since March 2020, 336 since January 1.
Businesses and activities affected by the adjustment include:
- Arcades and Recreational Businesses
- Driving and Flight Schools
- Gyms/Health Clubs
- Libraries
- Museums
- Retail
- Offices
- Places of Worship
- Lodging (common areas)
- Golf (indoor areas)
- Movie Theaters (no more than 50 people per theater)
In addition, restaurants and close contact personal services will now be allowed to operate at a 40 percent capacity limit, which reflects an increase from the 25 percent limit imposed in December. Workers and staff will not count towards the occupancy count for restaurants and close contact personal services.
