Mass. to Lift Stay-at-Home Advisory, Early Business Closure Order Next Week: Baker
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday said he will next week lift a stay-at-home advisory and an order requiring all businesses close by 9:30 p.m. as health officials see encouraging trends in the state's COVID-19 data.
The orders will be lifted Monday at 5 a.m., Baker said, adding the moves were possible because COVID-19 hospitalizations and the state's average positive test rate were "trending in a better direction" after spiking after the holiday season.
"Vaccines are reaching residents, positive case rates and hospitalizations have stabilized; those trends are moving in the right direction," Baker said. "As a result, we believe it's OK and it's time to start a gradual easing of some of the restrictions we put in place in the fall."