Indoor and outdoor performance venues located in low-risk COVID-19 communities in Massachusetts will be permitted to open on Monday at 50 percent capacity with a maximum of 250 people, Governor Charlie Baker announced today.

The governor said that low-risk communities will be permitted to move into Step II of Phase III of the commonwealth’s four-stage re-opening plan. Lower risk communities are defined as cities and towns that have not has a “red” designation in any of the last three weekly Department of Public Health (DPH) weekly reports.

The change also means that

• Arcades and indoor and outdoor recreation businesses will be able to pursue additional Step II activities like trampolines, obstacle courses, roller rinks and laser tag, and capacity will increase to 50 percent.
• Fitting rooms will be permitted to open in all types of retail stores.
• Gyms, museums, libraries and driving and flight schools will also be permitted to increase their capacity to 50 percent.

In addition, outdoor gatherings at event venues and in public settings will have a limit of 50 people in Step I communities, and a limit of 100 people in lower risk, Step II communities.

During a Tuesday press conference announcing the new regulations, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito commended the business community for its efforts to follow safety protocols.  Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders highlighted unannounced visits to businesses by state and local officials that showed an overwhelming majority or those businesses were in compliance.

Baker ordered a pause in the gradual process toward resuming business activity in August amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases.

• • Click here for interactive community map
  • You can click here for state wide data on testing
  • The COVID Tracking Project
  • High Risk Municipalities Stop the Spread Campaign (Chelsea-Everett-Lawrence-Lynn-Revere) & additional data for municipalities.