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Welcome to Documenting America’s Path to Recovery. Today we look at changes in coronavirus restrictions in Texas, Louisiana, Michigan, and Mississippi, the start of a new vaccine phase in Montana, and much more. Want to know what we covered yesterday? Click here.
We are committed to keeping you updated on everything from mask requirements to curfews to vaccine-related policies. We will keep you abreast of major developments—especially those affecting your daily life.
The next 24 hours
What is changing in the next 24 hours?
- Arizona (Republican trifecta): Vaccination centers in the Phoenix Metro Area can start vaccinating individuals age 55 and older and frontline essential workers starting March 4. People in those groups started making appointments on March 2. Centers in other parts of the state still have to vaccinate at least 55% of residents age 65 and older before they can expand eligibility.
- Illinois (Democratic trifecta): Residents age 65 and older can start scheduling appointments to receive vaccinations at the United Center federal vaccination site on March 4. Other people in Phase 1b, including anyone with high-risk conditions and some frontline essential workers, will be able to schedule appointments starting March 7. The site will start administering vaccinations on March 10.
- Maryland (divided government): On Tuesday, March 2, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced the state will open three more mass vaccination sites in March.The first will open on March 4 at the Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf. A site in Salisbury will open March 18, while a site in Hagerstown will open at the end of the month. By the end of March, Hogan said the state will have six mass vaccination sites.
- Ohio (Republican trifecta):
- Vaccine eligibility will expand on March 4 to include childcare workers, law enforcement and corrections officers, funeral services workers, and people ages 60 and older. Pregnant women and people with ALS, type 1 diabetes, and bone marrow transplant recipients will also become eligible.
- On Tuesday, March 2, Gov. Mike DeWine (R) issued an order removing a 300-person limit on events at banquet centers, so long as social distancing is observed. The order also sets the seating capacity at indoor sports venues at 25%, and 30% at outdoor venues. Additionally, the order sets the maximum number of patrons at indoor and outdoor entertainment venues at 25% and 30%, respectively. The order went into effect at noon on March 2.
Since our last edition
What rules and restrictions are changing in each state? For a continually updated article, click here.
- Louisiana (divided government): Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) signed an order moving the state from Phase 2 to Phase 3 of reopening and extending the statewide mask mandate. Phase 3 allows bars in all parishes to reopen at 25% capacity with a maximum of 250 people. If a parish maintains 5% positivity or lower for two consecutive weeks, bars in the parish can expand to 50% capacity. Alcohol sales still have to end at 11 p.m. Places of worship no longer have capacity limits. Most other businesses (including restaurants and salons) can expand their capacity to 75%. Indoor and outdoor event gatherings are allowed at 50% capacity. Indoor events are limited to a maximum of 250 people, and there is no maximum for outdoor events as long as social distancing is possible. The order is set to remain in effect through March 31.
- Massachusetts (divided government): On Tuesday, March 2, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that K-12 teachers and staff can receive coronavirus vaccines on March 11.
- Michigan (divided government): On Tuesday, March 2, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) announced that restaurants and bars can operate at 50% capacity on March 5, with a limit of 100 people. Previously, those businesses had been limited to 25% capacity. Additionally, retail businesses, libraries, and museums will be permitted to increase their capacity from 30% to 50%. Entertainment venues, including movie theaters, amusement parks, and auditoriums, will be able to operate at 50% capacity, with a limit of 300 people. Sports stadiums with a seating capacity of 10,000 or fewer can allow up to 375 fans, while stadiums that can accommodate more than 10,000 can have up to 750 fans. Also on March 5, up to 15 people from three different households will be allowed to gather, and outdoor public gatherings will increase to 300 people.
- Mississippi (Republican trifecta): Gov. Tate Reeves (R) is lifting the state’s regional mask requirement and all restrictions on businesses starting March 3. The state still requires masks in K-12 school buildings, while large indoor venues like arenas with ticketed seating will be limited to 50% seating capacity. The order also lifts gathering restrictions for individuals. Previously, 10 people could gather indoors and 50 could gather outdoors.
- Montana (Republican trifecta): Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) announced the state will start Phase 1B+ of vaccine distribution on March 8. Eligibility will expand to individuals aged 60 and older and anyone aged 16-59 with an underlying health condition like asthma, cystic fibrosis, and liver disease.
- Nevada (Democratic trifecta): On Tuesday, March 2, Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) reclassified lacrosse and field hockey as minimal-contact sports, allowing practices at schools to begin immediately. Tournaments can resume on March 15 if a safety plan is submitted to and approved by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA).
- North Carolina (divided government): On Tuesday, March 2, Gov. Roy Cooper (D) announced that additional frontline essential workers in Group 3 will become eligible for the vaccine March 3. That group includes people working in the energy and hazardous materials sectors, and in food and agriculture. Group 4, which includes people at higher risk of COVID-19 because of underlying health conditions, will become eligible to receive the vaccine on March 24.
- South Carolina (Republican trifecta): Gov. Henry McMaster (R) announced the state will start Phase 1b of vaccination starting March 8. The phase will include everyone aged 55 and older, anyone 16 and older with a high-risk health condition (including cancer, heart disease, and obesity), inmates and correctional officers, and homeless shelter residents and workers. McMaster said the state was aiming to start Phase 1c on April 12, which will expand eligibility to anyone 45 or older and all workers the CDC classifies as essential. On May 3, the state is aiming to start Phase 2, which will include everyone age 16 and older.
- Texas (Republican trifecta): On Tuesday, March 2, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued an order ending the statewide mask mandate and allowing all businesses to open at 100% capacity beginning March 10. If COVID-19 hospitalizations get above 15% of hospital bed capacity in any of the state’s 22 hospital regions for seven consecutive days, then a county judge may impose some restrictions. Those restrictions cannot include capacity limits below 50%, however. The order also prohibits jurisdictions from penalizing people for not wearing face coverings.
- Vermont (divided government): On Tuesday, March 2, Gov. Phil Scott (R) announced that people aged 55 and older with underlying health conditions will become eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccines beginning March 8. People aged 16 and older with underlying health conditions can receive the vaccines March 15. Additionally, beginning March 8, K-12 teachers and staff, and child care workers, will become eligible for the coronavirus vaccines.
- Washington (Democratic trifecta): On Tuesday, March 2, Gov. Jay Inslee (D) announced that K-12 teachers and child care workers can receive the coronavirus vaccines, effective immediately.
- West Virginia (Republican trifecta): On Wednesday, March 3, Gov. Jim Justice (R) announced that, effective immediately, residents 50 and older are eligible to receive coronavirus vaccines. School teachers and staff 40 and older, as well as people 16 and older with chronic medical conditions, are now eligible for the vaccines.
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