Nearly a year to the day since the Baker administration announced its reopening plan for the commonwealth’s economy, the governor Monday announced that remaining COVID-19 restrictions will be largely lifted effective May 29.
As of that date, Massachusetts residents will no longer be required to wear face coverings in most indoor or outdoor settings, and all industries will be permitted to open with capacity limits raised to 100 percent for all industries. Gathering limits likewise will be lifted.
In a late morning news conference, Baker announced that he will be lifting the State of Emergency order effective June 15 as the commonwealth is expected to meet its goal of having 4.1 million residents fully vaccinated by early June.
Baker and other members of administration Monday credited the efforts of Bay Staters with getting the commonwealth to a place where the economy can be fully reopened.
“The commitment the people of Massachusetts made to this whole process and especially the vaccine rollout — I don’t know if there are any states in the country that have a 99 percent return rate for the second vaccine like we do,” Baker said. “What I really feel is gratitude for the way the people of Massachusetts have responded to this.”
In some areas of everyday life, the mask mandate will continue to be place, specifically in K-12 schools, in health care and long-term care facilities and on public transportation.
