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A look at what can reopen in each phase of Massachusetts’ opening plan

People entered CambridgeSide during the first day of Phase 2 in Massachusetts on Monday.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

Governor Charlie Baker on Tuesday said he was scaling back the reopening of the state’s economy in an effort to combat the spread of the virus. Starting Sunday, he said, every city and town will move back to Phase 3 Step 1 of the reopening process.

Here’s a look at what each phase of the reopening plan means.

Phase One: “Start”

- On May 18, places of worship can open with guidelines. Outdoor services are encouraged.

- On May 18, manufacturing and construction can restart. Essential businesses will continue to stay open.

- On May 18, hospitals and community health centers can provide high-priority preventative care, pediatric care, and treatment for high-risk patients and conditions. (On May 25, additional health care providers can provide those same limited services.)

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- On May 25, lab and office space can open — except in Boston, where offices can open starting June 1. Those that are allowed to open are still strongly encouraged to work from home, and businesses should restrict their physical workforce presence to under 25 percent maximum occupancy.

- On May 25, hair salons and barbers can open, by appointment only. Pet grooming services can open with appointments and curbside pet drop-off and pickup, and exterior car washes can open.

- On May 25, recreational marijuana shops will be allowed to reopen.

- On May 25, retail can execute remote fulfillment and curbside pickup.

- On May 25, several different outdoor recreational spaces can open with guidelines, including beaches, parks, drive-in theaters, some athletic fields and courts, many “outdoor adventure activities,” most fishing, hunting and boating, and outdoor gardens, zoos, reserves, and public installations.

- The state’s “stay-at-home” advisory becomes a “safer-at-home” advisory, meaning residents are urged to only leave the house for health care, worship, work, shopping, and outdoor activities. Under the new advisory, people should not play close-contact sports; they should call or video-chat high-risk friends and family instead of visiting; and parents should limit play dates for children. Baker said during his press conference Monday that the new advisory is “not a dramatic departure from where we were, but it does reflect that we are pursuing a phased reopening strategy.”

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- All residents are still required to cover their face when they cannot maintain six feet of social distance in public.

- Gathering limits of less than 10 people will still be in place.

- People who are at risk should work from home if possible.

- All travelers to Massachusetts will still be urged to self-quarantine for 14 days.

- Lodging (i.e.: hotels and short-term rentals) will continue to be restricted to essential workers only.

- The MBTA will continue on adapted schedules that are currently being used.

- Across all phases of reopening, residents should cover their face, wash their hands, socially distance from others, be vigilant for symptoms, and stay home if they’re feeling sick.

Phase Two: “Cautious”

- Following the state’s three-week-minimum guideline, the absolute earliest Phase Two could start is June 8. (Each phase could last longer than three weeks, depending on health trends, and the state could also decide to revert to an earlier phase.)

- Retail, restaurants, and lodging (such as hotels), as well as nail salons and day spas, can reopen with restrictions and some capacity limitations. (A restaurant and hospitality workgroup convened May 15 to develop procedures for opening of those specific sectors.)

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- Under this phase, potentially updated guidance could also be issued for Phase One businesses.

- Places of worship can open with updated guidelines, with outdoor services still encouraged.

- Hospitals and health centers can expand ambulatory in-person routine care, to include less urgent preventative services, procedures, and care (e.g., routine dental cleanings, certain elective procedures), and day programs (adult day health, day habilitation, etc.).

- Campgrounds, playgrounds, spray decks, public and community pools, all athletic fields and courts, and limited youth sports can reopen with guidelines.

- Recreational day camps for kids can reopen.

- Gathering sizes for this phase have yet to be determined based on trends.

- Business and recreational travel is discouraged under this phase.

- All travelers to Massachusetts are still encouraged to self-quarantine for 14 days.

- People who are at risk should work from home if possible.

- For MBTA riders, additional service will be implemented for high-demand bus routes, and increased service (shorter time between trains) will be implemented for the T’s Red, Orange, and Green Lines. The Blue Line will return to its full schedule. Ferries will reopen with reduced service, and additional trains will be added on the commuter lines.

- Across all phases of reopening, residents should cover their face, wash their hands, socially distance from others, be vigilant for symptoms, and stay home if they’re feeling sick.

Phase Three: “Vigilant”

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- Following the state’s three-week-minimum guideline, if all goes well in the first two phases, the absolute earliest Phase Three could start is June 29.

- Bars, casinos, gyms, fitness studios, and museums can resume with restrictions and some capacity limitations.

- All other business activities can resume with limitations — except for nightclubs and large venues.

- Under this phase, potentially updated guidance could also be issued for Phase One and Two businesses.

- Places of worship can open with updated guidelines, with outdoor services still encouraged.

- Additional recreation and outdoor activities and services can open with guidelines.

- Youth sports with games and tournaments can resume, with limited crowd sizes.

- Residential summer camps for kids can reopen.

- Gathering sizes for this phase have yet to be determined based on trends.

- Travel advisories will be determined based on trends.

- People who are at risk should work from home if possible. They should also receive priority consideration for workplace accommodations.

- For MBTA riders, buses will resume their full schedules, with added service to high-demand routes. All T lines — Blue, Orange, Red, Green — will resume their full schedules as well. Ferries will resume regular service, and the commuter rail will adopt a modified full schedule to reflect changed travel patterns due to the “new normal.”

- Across all phases of reopening, residents should cover their face, wash their hands, socially distance from others, be vigilant for symptoms, and stay home if they’re feeling sick.

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Phase Four: “New Normal”

- Following the state’s three-week-minimum guideline, if all goes well in the first three phases, the absolute earliest Phase Four could start is July 20.

- High-risk populations can resume public interactions with physical distancing.

- Gathering sizes for this phase have yet to be determined based on trends.

- Travel can resume, with everyone continuing to observe social guidance.

- Houses of worship can resume full activity in the “new normal.”

- All businesses, including large venues and nightclubs, can resume.

- All health and human services can full resume under the “new normal.”

- All outdoor recreation and activities can fully resume.

- MBTA service is largely similar to what has been outlined in Phase 3.

- Across all phases of reopening, residents should cover their face, wash their hands, socially distance from others, be vigilant for symptoms, and stay home if they’re feeling sick.


Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JaclynReiss