The usually bustling State House was very quiet as the public stayed away and most legislative offices operated with a “skeleton staff” as one legislator put it. (Photo by Ken Smith)
By Ken Smith
Sweeping measures were taken in the city of Boston and throughout the state to constrain the coronavirus (Covid-19), guided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
On March 10, Gov. Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency. What followed were a series of sweeping measures that have put the state in lockdown mode.
The governor announced a three-week suspension of all public and private schools in the Commonwealth, which began March 17 and will continue until Monday, April 6. Mayor Marty Walsh went a step further, announcing that all Boston public schools would be closed for six weeks, through April 27.
“Our administration is taking these rapid steps to protect the health and safety of our residents to mitigate the spread of Covid-19,” said Gov. Baker at one of several press conferences held in the last week. “We know that a lot of the measures we are putting into place, including mandatory school closures and prohibiting gatherings of 25 people or more, will cause disruption in people’s day to day lives. With the steps we are taking today, we can ensure residents can still access key state services while taking necessary precautions to limit the spread of Covid-19.”
Colleges heeded the recommendation of the Department of Higher Education and DPH, closing in-person classes, and shifting to remote teaching. Most on-campus housing units are empty of residents now, except those students who stayed because they could not safely return home.
The governor also issued an emergency order limiting gatherings to 25 individuals and prohibiting restaurants and bars from serving patrons food or drink, which began March 17 and will remain effective until April 6; however, restaurants are allowed to offer take-out food service.
Hospitals are no longer conducting non-essential elective procedures, and licensed pharmacies have begun creating and selling hand sanitizers over the counter.
The Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) will extend the renewal timeline of certain credentials to reduce the need for customers to visit an RMV center in-person. The MBTA and commuter rail are operating at a reduced schedule, and building projects in Boston have been halted.
For those who cannot work due to the impact of Covid-19, the governor filed emergency legislation that will allow new claims to be paid more quickly by waiving the one week waiting period for unemployment benefits.
The administration also announced economic support for small businesses with a $10 million loan fund to provide financial relief to those that have been affected by Covid-19.The $10 million Small Business Recovery Loan Fund will provide emergency capital up to $75,000 to Massachusetts-based businesses impacted with under 50 full and part-time employees, including nonprofits.
All sporting events have been cancelled for the foreseeable future, and the governor joined Mayor Walsh in filing legislation to push back the date of the Boston Marathon from April 20 to September 14, designating the rescheduled day a legal holiday.
