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Documenting Massachusetts' path to recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

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Ballotpedia’s coverage of COVID-19 includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and how those responses are influencing election rules and operations, political campaigns, the economy, schools, and more.

This article contains a general timeline of noteworthy state government responses to the coronavirus pandemic since April 2020. It also includes details on three specific types of state responses to the pandemic:

Additionally, the article includes:


Response news updates

The following section provides a timeline of Massachusetts' reopening activity beginning in April 2020. The entries, which come from our Documenting America's Path to Recovery newsletter, are sorted by month in reverse chronological order. The date shown is the day that we wrote about them in the newsletter. They appear exactly as they appeared in the newsletter.

August 2021

  • August 5: On Wednesday, Aug. 4, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all nursing home staff. The state will begin enforcing the requirement Oct. 10, and staff will be required to have received at least one dose of a two-dose vaccine by Sept 1.

June 2021

  • June 23: On Tuesday, June 22, the Massachusetts House of Representatives voted 130-30 to reject Gov. Charlie Baker’s (R) spending proposal for about $5.1 billion in federal coronavirus relief money. Baker had proposed spending $2.8 billion on housing and infrastructure, leaving $2.3 billion for the legislature. The House on Tuesday approved a different proposal that would leave about $200 million for the governor to spend.
  • June 21: On Friday, June 18, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley announced that masks would not be required for students or teachers in K-12 public schools in the fall. Riley said local school boards could still vote to maintain their mask requirements.
  • June 16: On Tuesday, June 15, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced the VaxMillions Giveaway, an initiative to encourage people to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The giveaway will include five $1,000,000 prizes and five $300,000 college scholarships. People who were vaccinated in the state can register for the weekly drawings July 1.
  • June 15: Effective Tuesday, June 15, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) ended the statewide COVID-19 state of emergency. Baker first declared an emergency in response to the pandemic on March 10, 2020.
  • June 1: Effective Saturday, May 29, all COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and individuals ended, including capacity limits on events and the statewide mask mandate. On Friday, May 28, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) issued an order that will end the COVID-19 state of emergency on June 15.

May 2021

  • May 25: On Tuesday, May 25, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said he planned to file legislation to extend some coronavirus regulations beyond June 15, when the COVID-19 emergency expires. Although Baker plans to lift most COVID-19 restrictions on May 29, he said he wants to temporarily maintain executive orders that allow public bodies to meet remotely and restaurants to file expedited permits for outdoor dining. The legislation will also continue an order that provides billing protections for COVID-19 patients.
  • May 24: On Monday, May 24, the state’s Homebound Vaccination Program expanded to include all eligible people who cannot get to a vaccination site to schedule an in-home vaccine appointment. The program, launched March 29, was originally restricted to people who met specific federal standards, which included requiring the assistance of two people to leave the house. The program is now open to anyone who cannot easily get to a vaccination site.
  • May 17: On Monday, May 17, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced he will end the statewide mask mandate and all remaining COVID-19 restrictions on May 29. He also said he will end the COVID-19 state of emergency on June 15.
  • May 10:
    • Six of the state’s seven mass vaccination sites allow walk-up vaccinations beginning Monday, May 10.
    • As part of Phase 4, Step 2 of the state’s reopening plan, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) is ending the statewide outdoor mask mandate and allowing amusement and water parks to reopen at 50% capacity on May 10. He is also ending the requirement that supermarkets offer senior hours.
  • May 6: On Wednesday, May 5, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that six of the state’s seven mass vaccination sites will allow walk-up vaccinations beginning Monday, May 10.

April 2021

  • April 27: On Tuesday, April 26, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced he would end the statewide outdoor mask mandate and allow amusement and water parks to reopen at 50% capacity on May 10. Baker also announced he will increase the limit on indoor and outdoor gatherings on May 29, and end capacity restrictions on all businesses on Aug. 1.
  • April 19: On April 19, vaccine eligibility expanded to include everyone 16 and older.
  • April 5: Residents 55 and older with a medical condition became eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine Monday, April 5. Gov. Charlie Baker (R) made the announcement April 2. Baker also announced the state has adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) list of medical conditions that increase the risk of COVID-19. People with a condition on that list are now eligible for a vaccine.

March 2021

  • March 22:
    • On March 22, people 60 and older and certain workers, including restaurant and grocery store workers, are eligible for a vaccine.
    • The state advanced to Phase IV of the reopening plan on March 22. Under Phase IV, large sports and entertainment venues can operate at 12% capacity if they submit a plan to the Department of Public Health. Additionally, the gathering limit for event venues in public settings can increase to 100 people indoors and 150 people outdoors, and dance floors are permitted at weddings. The state’s requirement that travelers quarantine for 10 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test is now an advisory.
  • March 17: On Wednesday, March 17, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced a new vaccine eligibility timeline. On March 22, people 60 and older and certain workers, including restaurant and grocery store workers, will become eligible for a vaccine. On April 5, people 55 and older and those with medical conditions will become eligible for a vaccine. On April 19, the state will expand vaccine eligibility to include everyone 16 and older.
  • March 11: K-12 teachers and staff are eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine starting Thursday, March 11.
  • March 4: On Wednesday, March 3, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that K-12 teachers and staff will become eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine on Thursday, March 11.
  • March 3: On Tuesday, March 2, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that K-12 teachers and staff can receive coronavirus vaccines on March 11.
  • March 1: On Monday, March 1, Massachusetts entered Step 2 of Phase 3 of reopening, allowing indoor entertainment venues to operate at 50% capacity and restaurants to operate at 100% capacity.

February 2021

  • February 17: On Tuesday, Feb. 16, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced a vaccine initiative to reach communities placed high on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index. The Index measures a community’s ability to respond to hazardous events based on factors like poverty and unemployment. Under the initiative, state officials will use town halls and other events to raise awareness of coronavirus vaccines in collaboration with local health boards, faith leaders, and community centers.
  • February 11: On Feb. 10, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that caregivers who accompany an individual age 75 and older to get vaccinated at a mass vaccination site can schedule their appointment on the same day, beginning Thursday, Feb. 11. Baker also announced two new mass vaccination sites in Natick and Dartmouth.
  • February 8: The state is easing some coronavirus restrictions beginning Monday, Feb. 8. The capacity limits placed on businesses like bars and gyms are increasing from 25% to 40%.
  • February 1: Residents age 75 and older can begin receiving a coronavirus vaccine on Feb. 1. Fenway Park is also scheduled to join Gillette Stadium as a mass vaccination site on Feb 1.

January 2021

  • January 26: On Monday, Jan. 25, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that residents age 75 and older can begin receiving the coronavirus vaccine on Feb. 1. Baker also said the state aimed to have 103 vaccination sites open by the end of the week.
  • January 25: The statewide curfew on businesses and a nighttime stay-at-home advisory on individuals are no longer in effect. Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced the change Jan. 21. The curfew prohibited several types of businesses, including restaurants and gyms, from operating after 9:30 p.m., while the stay-at-home advisory discouraged people from leaving their houses between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Baker said some restrictions would remain in place, including indoor and outdoor gathering limits and capacity limits on businesses.
  • January 20: On Tuesday, Jan. 19, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that Fenway Park will join Gillette Stadium as a mass vaccination site on Feb. 1. Baker said up to 500 people a day will receive vaccines when the site opens. Baker announced the first mass vaccination site at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 12.
  • January 14: On Wednesday, Jan. 13, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that employees and residents in congregate care facilities and homeless shelters, as well staff and inmates in correctional facilities, will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 18.
  • January 13: On Tuesday, Jan. 12, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that Gillette Stadium, the home of the New England Patriots, would serve as the state’s first mass vaccination site. The site is currently equipped to administer up to 300 vaccines a day to first responders. Baker said that number will increase to 5,000 per day as more individuals become eligible.
  • January 12: On Monday, Jan. 11, first responders, including police officers, firefighters, and EMTs, became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • January 11: On Friday, Jan. 8, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced a pooled testing initiative that will begin next month for school districts providing in-person and hybrid learning. The initiative will involve analyzing batches of COVID-19 test samples from individual schools on a weekly basis. If COVID-19 is not detected in the batch, then everyone in the school is presumed to be negative for the virus.
  • January 8: On Thursday, Jan. 7, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) extended statewide coronavirus restrictions through Jan. 24. The restrictions include capacity limits on businesses and gathering limits on indoor and outdoor events.
  • January 5: On Monday, Jan. 4, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that vaccinations for first responders would begin Jan. 11 as part of the first phase of the state’s vaccine distribution plan.
  • January 4: On Thursday, Dec. 31, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced the COVID-19 Small Business Grant Program had awarded 1,366 grants totaling $67.4 million to help offset the economic burden of the pandemic. It was the second round of program grants.

December 2020

  • December 23: On Tuesday, Dec. 22, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced a series of new coronavirus restrictions, including a 10-person limit on indoor gatherings and a 25-person limit on outdoor gatherings. Additionally, most businesses, including restaurants, movie theaters, gyms, offices, and venues, must limit capacity to 25%. The new restrictions take effect Dec. 26 and last through Jan. 8, 2021.
  • December 9: On Tuesday, Dec. 8, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced the state would return to Phase 3, Step 1 of the reopening plan on Sunday, Dec. 13. Step 1 requires some businesses, like indoor performance venues, to close while limiting capacity to 40% at places like offices, retail shops, and houses of worship. Under Step 1, people planning gatherings with more than 25 people must notify the local health board, and outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 people.
  • December 4: In its weekly report on COVID-19 transmission rates released Thursday, Dec. 3, the Department of Public Health announced that 16 new towns and cities had been moved to the highest risk level. Those communities will be required to return to Phase 3, Step 1, of the state’s reopening plan. As of Dec. 3, 97 communities are classified as at the highest risk for transmitting the coronavirus.

November 2020

  • November 6: Gov. Charlie Baker’s (R) new coronavirus restrictions took effect Friday, Nov. 6. Restrictions include a statewide, stay-at-home advisory between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and a requirement that businesses like salons, gyms, and event venues close by 9:30 p.m. Baker also issued a new face-covering mandate, which replaces the current one that allows people to remove their masks when social distancing is possible.
  • November 3: On Monday, Nov. 2, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) issued a series of new coronavirus restrictions that take effect Friday, Nov. 6. The new restrictions include a statewide, stay-at-home advisory between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and a requirement that businesses like salons, gyms, and event venues close by 9:30 p.m. Baker also issued a new face-covering mandate, which replaces the current one that allows people to remove their masks when social distancing is possible.

October 2020

  • October 21: Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said that he had no plans to roll back the state’s phased reopening at a news conference. Baker said that recent growth in new cases could be traced to informal events (such as house parties, backyard events, and celebrations) and not business reopenings.
  • October 19: The statewide moratorium on evictions expired Saturday, Oct. 17, after Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said he would not extend it.
  • October 5: Effective Monday, Oct. 5, cities and towns designated as “lower risk” on the state’s community spread map can advance to Step 2 of Phase 3 of the reopening plan. In Step 2 of Phase 3, indoor entertainment businesses like roller rinks and trampoline parks can reopen, and indoor and outdoor performance venues can operate at up to 50% capacity. Additionally, gyms, libraries, and museums will be permitted to operate at 50% capacity.

September 2020

  • September 29: On Sept. 29, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that lower-risk communities in Massachusetts, defined as towns with an average daily case rate of between zero and eight cases per 100,000 people, will be permitted to move to Step 2, Phase 3 of reopening beginning on Oct. 5. In order to advance to Step 2, towns will need to have maintained their lower-risk status for three weeks or longer. Communities with more than eight cases per 100,000 people will remain in Step 1. The Baker administration also said that outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people will be permitted in Step 2, Phase 3 communities. Gatherings in communities in Step 1 will be limited to 50 people.
  • September 23: On Sept. 23, Gov. Charlie Baker announced that he would ease restrictions on restaurants beginning Sept. 28. On that day, the number of patrons allowed per table will increase from six to 10, and restaurants will be allowed to use bar seating for food service. Bars and nightclubs, however, will remain closed.

August 2020

  • August 31: On Aug. 28, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) signed an executive order allowing already-licensed after-school and out-of-school programs to operate during the school day. State Secretary of Education James Peyser said, “[W]e know that remote learning will be part of the educational experience for many students this fall, so it’s critical that we enable parents, after-school providers, and community organizations to offer additional childcare options and learning supports when students are unable to attend school in person.
  • August 24: On Aug. 21, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education issued guidance instructing teachers and support staff in districts starting the school year with remote learning to teach and work from school buildings.
  • August 18: Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said he expected 70% of the state’s school districts to open with either a hybrid or in-person model this fall, while 30% of the state’s districts have presented plans with an online-only option.
  • August 14: The deadline for schools to submit reopening plans is Aug. 14. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will post all approved plans online.
  • August 11: Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said schools in 285 of the state’s 318 communities should be able to reopen for at least some in-person instruction in the fall. Baker said he felt confident in reopening schools based on coronavirus statistics in those communities.
  • August 7: Gov. Charlie Baker (R) reduced the outdoor gathering size limit from 100 to 50. The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced a four-day extension for all schools to submit reopening plans. Schools must now submit their plans by Aug. 14.

July 2020

  • July 28: The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education signed an agreement with the state’s teachers unions to reduce the length of the 2020-2021 school year from 180 days to 170 days.
  • July 15: Casinos and museums reopened on July 13. The state requires face coverings and capacity limits in both.
  • July 7: On July 6, Massachusetts moved into the first step of Phase 3 of its reopening. The following businesses were allowed to reopen: movie theaters and outdoor performance venues; museums and cultural/historical sites; fitness centers and health clubs; select indoor recreational activities; and professional sports teams (games without spectators). New gathering limits also took effect: for indoor spaces, no more than eight people per 1,000 square feet (maximum 25 people); for outdoor spaces, 25 percent of the space's maximum capacity (maximum 100 people).
  • July 1: Effective July 1, all travelers arriving in Massachusetts are being directed to self-quarantine for 14 days. This includes Massachusetts residents returning home from interstate travel. The directive does not apply to travelers from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, and New Jersey. The order also exempts essential critical infrastructure workers, as defined by the federal government.

June 2020

  • June 30: Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that out-of-state visitors from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, and New Jersey will no longer need to self-quarantine for 14 days.
  • June 23: The Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved reopening plans for the state’s three casinos—Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield, and Plainridge Park. No reopening dates have been set.
  • June 22: Effective June 22, Massachusetts moves into the second step of Phase 2 of its reopening. The following are allowed to reopen: indoor table service at restaurants; close-contact personal services (nail salons, tattoo parlors, etc.); retail dressing rooms (by appointment only); and office spaces (50% capacity).
  • June 10: Bars in Massachusetts will reopen as part of Phase 4 of Gov. Charlie Baker’s (R) reopening plan. Last week, the administration moved bars without food service from Phase 3 to Phase 4 of reopening. The change came after officials clarified establishments permitted to serve food are categorized as restaurants, including breweries, wineries, and distilleries, which were allowed to reopen for outdoor dining as part of Phase 2, which began on June 8. The City of Boston’s Mayor Marty Walsh announced on June 9 that the city approved more than 200 requests by restaurants to temporarily expand their outdoor dining service into public spaces.
  • June 8: On June 6, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that the state would enter Phase 2 of his reopening plan beginning June 8. Phase 2 reopenings will happen in two parts. The first part of Phase 2 includes: retail (40% of occupancy), outdoor dining at restaurants, childcare facilities and day camps, funeral homes, higher education, historical spaces, hotels and lodging (no events), outdoor recreations, personal services such as home cleaning, warehouses and distribution. Professional sports may resume practice on June 8, but games are not allowed and practices are closed to the public. Youth sports and adult amateur sports may resume as well. The second part of Phase 2, which at this time has no firm date, will include indoor dining and personal services such as nail salons and tattoo parlors.
  • June 2: On June 1, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) issued an executive order outlining which businesses would be permitted to reopen in phases 2, 3, and 4 of the state's reopening plan. Although Baker did not fix a date for the start of Phase 2, he authorized businesses to allow employees to return to work in preparation for Phase 2. In Phase 2, the following businesses will be allowed to reopen: retail stores; restaurants; hotels, motels, and other lodging; amateur sports programs; professional sports practice and training programs; personal services; non-athletic instructional classes for youths; driving and flight schools; outdoor historical spaces; funeral homes; warehouses and distribution centers; golf facilities; outdoor recreation facilities; post-secondary schools; day camps; and public libraries.

May 2020

  • May 26: Effective May 25, the following businesses were allowed to reopen: lab spaces; office spaces; personal services (hair salons, pet grooming, car washes), and retail (delivery and curbside pick-up). The following recreation sites and activities were also permitted to reopen or resume effective May 25: beaches; parks; drive-in movie theaters; select athletic fields; outdoor adventure activities; fishing, hunting, and boating; and outdoor gardens, zoos, reserves, and other public installations.
  • May 18: Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that the state's stay-at-home order would be allowed to expire on May 18. It was replaced with a "Safer at Home" order, which advised residents to refrain from leaving their homes unless performing essential or newly permitted activities. Baker also announced the implementation of Phase 1 of the state's reopening plan. Effective May 18, the following businesses were allowed to reopen: manufacturing facilities; construction sites; places of worship; and hospitals and community health centers (to resume high-priority preventative care, pediatric care, and treatment for high-risk patients).
  • May 12: Gov. Charlie Baker (R) unveiled a four-phase plan for reopening Massachusetts. Under Phase 1 ("Start"), limited industries will be permitted to reopen, subject to restrictions. In Phase 2 ("Cautious"), additional industries will be permitted to reopen, subject to restrictions and capacity limits. Under Phase 3 ("Vigilant"), more industries will be allowed to reopen, subject to guidance. In Phase 4 ("New Normal"), which is contingent on the development of a vaccine and/or therapeutic treatment, normal activities may resume. The plan does not have specific effective dates or contingencies for phases 1, 2, or 3. Baker also released mandatory safety standards for workplaces.


Vaccine distribution

This section contains a table of quick facts on the state’s vaccine distribution plan and a timeline of noteworthy events, including updates on vaccine availability for new groups of individuals, changes to state distribution plans, and much more. If you know of a noteworthy story we are missing, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health released a distribution plan on October 16, 2020.

Quick facts

Massachusetts state vaccination plan quick information
What governing entities are responsible for vaccine allocation and distribution?[1] COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group
Where can I find a quick breakdown of phases in my state? Massachusetts' COVID-19 vaccination phases
Where can I find the distribution plan? COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
When was the plan first released to the public? October 16, 2020
When was the plan most recently updated? October 16, 2020
Where can I find answers to frequently asked questions? COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find data related to the coronavirus in my state? COVID-19 Response Reporting
Where is the state health department's homepage? Department of Public Health
Where can I find additional information about the state's vaccine distribution? The COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan in Massachusetts - AARP

Timeline

  • Nov. 18, 2021: Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that all residents over 18 were eligible to get a COVID-19 booster shot. Baker said people who initially got the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna shots could get a booster if six months had passed since their last shot, while people who got the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine could get a booster two months after their shot.[2]
  • May 10, 2021: In Massachusetts, six of the state’s seven mass vaccination sites started allowing walk-up vaccinations.[3]
  • May 5, 2021: Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that six of the state’s seven mass vaccination sites would allow walk-up vaccinations beginning May 10.[4]
  • April 19, 2021: In Massachusetts, vaccine eligibility expanded to include everyone 16 and older.[5]
  • April 5, 2021: Massachusetts residents 55 and older with medical conditions became eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine. Gov. Charlie Baker (R) made the announcement April 2. Baker also announced the state adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) list of medical conditions that increased the risk of COVID-19.[6]
  • March 22, 2021: Massachusetts residents 60 and older and certain workers, including restaurant and grocery store workers, became eligible for a vaccine.[7]
  • March 17, 2021: Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced a new vaccine eligibility timeline. On March 22, people 60 and older and certain workers, including restaurant and grocery store workers, were scheduled to become eligible for a vaccine. On April 5, people 55 and older and those with medical conditions were scheduled to become eligible for a vaccine. On April 19, the state was scheduled to expand vaccine eligibility to include everyone 16 and older.[8]
  • March 11, 2021: Massachusetts K-12 teachers and school staff became eligible to receive coronavirus vaccines.[9]
  • March 3, 2021: Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that K-12 teachers and staff would become eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine on Thursday, March 11.[10]
  • March 2, 2021: Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that K-12 teachers and staff could receive coronavirus vaccines starting March 11.[11]
  • February 16, 2021: Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced a vaccine initiative to reach communities placed high on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index. At the time, the Index measured a community’s ability to respond to hazardous events based on factors like poverty and unemployment. Under the initiative, state officials used town halls and other events to raise awareness of coronavirus vaccines in collaboration with local health boards, faith leaders, and community centers.[12]
  • February 11, 2021: In Massachusetts, caregivers accompanying individuals age 75 and older to get vaccinated at a mass vaccination site became eligible to schedule their appointment on the same day. Gov. Charlie Baker (R) also announced two mass vaccination sites in Natick and Dartmouth.[13]
  • February 1, 2021: Massachusetts residents age 75 and older began receiving the coronavirus vaccine on Feb. 1. Fenway Park joined Gillette Stadium as a mass vaccination site.[14]
  • January 25, 2021: Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced residents age 75 and older could begin receiving the coronavirus vaccine starting Feb. 1. Baker also said the state aimed to have 103 vaccination sites open by the end of the week.[15]
  • January 13, 2021: Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that employees and residents in congregate care facilities and homeless shelters, as well as staff and inmates in correctional facilities, would be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting Jan. 18.[16]
  • January 11, 2021: In Massachusetts, first responders, including police officers, firefighters, and EMTs, became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.[17]
  • January 4, 2021: Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that vaccinations for first responders would begin Jan. 11 as part of the first phase of the state’s vaccine distribution plan.[18]

Statewide travel restrictions

See also: Travel restrictions issued by states in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021


Does Massachusetts have restrictions on travel? No. On March 22, 2021, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) replaced the travel ordering requiring visitors to quarantine or present a negative COVID-19 test with a travel advisory. The advisory urges travelers to quarantine for 10 days, unless they are fully vaccinated or have received a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arrival.[19]

More information can be found at Mass.gov.

Timeline

  • March 22, 2021: Gov. Charlie Baker (R) replaced the travel order with a travel advisory urging travelers to quarantine for 10 days if they have no received a negative COVID-19 test.[20]
  • March 18, 2021: Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced the state’s travel restrictions, which require travelers to quarantine or provide a negative COVID-19 test, will become an advisory on Monday, March 22.[21]
  • March 8, 2021: In an update to its travel website, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health updated its list of exemptions to the state's quarantine requirement for out-of-state travelers to include fully vaccinated individuals. People who've been fully vaccinated for 14 days do not need to quarantine for 10 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result.[22]
  • November 28, 2020: The Massachusetts Department of Public Health removed Vermont from the list of low-risk states, leaving Hawaii the only state in that category. Travelers from low-risk states are exempt from the quarantine requirement, and do not need to fill out a travel form.[23]
  • September 19, 2020: The Massachusetts Department of Public Health removed Wyoming from its list of low-risk states. Travelers from Wyoming must self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Massachusetts.[24]
  • September 12, 2020: The Massachusetts Department of Public Health removed Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia from the list of low-risk states. The state had designated Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, and Colorado low risk at the end of August. Travelers from low-risk states are exempt from the 14 day quarantine requirement.[25]
  • August 29, 2020: Massachusetts added Colorado, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to its list of lower-risk states, exempting travelers and returning residents from having to quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in Massachusetts.[26]
  • August 1, 2020: Starting Aug. 1, most travelers and returning residents were required fill out a travel form and self-quarantine for 14 days upon entering the state or produce a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival. Travelers from states classified as lower-risk, which included Connecticut, Vermont, and Hawaii, among others, were exempt from the test or quarantine requirements.[27]
  • July 24, 2020: Statewide enforceable travel restrictions took effect, requiring all non-exempt travelers to the state to fill out a travel form (unless they are travelling from a state defined as low risk by the Department of Public Health) and either self-quarantine for 14 days or provide a negative COVID-19 test administered no more than 72 hours prior to arrival. Non-compliance carried with it a $500 per day fine.[28]
  • June 30, 2020: Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced that visitors to Massachusetts from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, and New Jersey will no longer need to self-quarantine for 14 days. The advisory to self-quarantine remains in effect for visitors from other parts of the country.[29]
  • March 27, 2020: Gov. Charles D. Baker (R) directed all people, except essential workers, traveling to Massachusetts to self-quarantine for two weeks. Baker also asked travelers experiencing symptoms similar to COVID-19 not to come to the state.[30]


School reopenings and closures

See also: School responses in Massachusetts to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Schools in Massachusetts were closed to in-person instruction on March 17, 2020, and remained closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. To notify us of when schools were allowed to reopen statewide, email us. The timeline below lists statewide responses we tracked.

  • June 29, 2021: At the end of the school year, Burbio reported all schools were in-person in Massachusetts .[31][32]
  • May 17, 2021: Massachusetts started requiring schools to offer full-time in-person instruction for high schoolers on May 17.[33]
  • Sept. 10, 2020: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio reported a majority of schools were using virtual or hybrid learning in Massachusetts .[34][35]
  • July 27, 2020: The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education signed an agreement with the state’s teachers unions to reduce the length of the 2020-2021 school year from 180 days to 170 days.[36]
  • June 24, 2020: Gov. Charlie Baker (R) released guidance for reopening schools. The guidance required all staff and students in second grade or higher to wear masks, social distancing of desks in classrooms, and students to eat breakfast and lunch in their classrooms.[37]
  • June 8, 2020: The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released preliminary guidance for reopening schools. The memo outlined a face-covering requirement for both teachers and students, desks spaced six feet apart, and classroom size restrictions of 12.[38]


  • April 21, 2020: Baker announced that schools would not reopen for in-person instruction for the remainder of the academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools were closed through May 1.[39]
  • March 25, 2020: Baker announced that the statewide school closure, scheduled to end April 6, was extended through May 1.[40]
  • March 15, 2020: Baker issued an executive order closing all schools in the state from March 17 until April 6.[41]

Statewide mask requirements

See also: State-level mask requirements in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020


On May 1, 2020, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) signed an executive order requiring individuals to wear masks in public places where social distancing was not possible. On Nov. 2, Baker announced the social distancing exemption would be removed from the order starting Nov. 6.[42]

Gov. Charlie Baker (R) ended the statewide mask mandate on May 29, 2021.[43]

The full May 1 executive order is embedded below.


Noteworthy lawsuits

See also: Lawsuits about state actions and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

CommCan, Inc. vs. Charlie Baker: On April 7, 2020, five cannabis dispensaries and an individual seeking to open a dispensary filed suit against Gov. Charlie Baker (R) after the governor's stay-at-home order declared recreational dispensaries as nonessential businesses. According to the Boston Business Journal, at the time the lawsuit was filed, there were 43 recreational dispensaries employing 8,000 people in the state. The suit was filed in the Suffolk County Superior Court.[44]

On March 23, Baker issued COVID-19 Order No. 13, which directed individuals in the state to stay at home unless performing essential activities and placed restrictions on non-essential businesses.[45] The order was originally set to expire on April 7. On March 31, Baker extended the order through April 4.[46]

Boston Bit Labs, Inc. v. Baker: On September 2, 2020, a gaming arcade filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, against Gov. Charlie Baker (R), challenging Baker's designation of gaming arcades as Phase IV businesses under the state's reopening plan, which stipulated that such businesses could only reopen after a treatment and/or vaccine for COVID-19 was made available. The arcade claimed that this policy constituted a violation of its First and Fourteenth Amendment rights to free speech and equal protection, respectively. Citing discussions with surrounding states, Baker announced in a September 10, 2020, press briefing that gaming arcades would be designated as Phase III businesses, therefore allowing them to reopen. Reacting to the news, Bit Bar owner Gideon Coltof, said, "I’m certain our lawsuit had something to do with it."[47][48][49]

State Police Association of Massachusetts v. Massachusetts: On September 23, 2021, a Massachusetts Superior Court judge rejected a request by the state police union to temporarily suspend Governor Charlie Baker’s (R) COVID-19 vaccine mandate. In its complaint, the State Police Association of Massachusetts (SPAM) argued that the mandate violated state law because Baker failed to engage in collective bargaining with the union prior to issuing the order and left open no "reasonable accommodations" as alternatives to vaccination. In her order, Suffolk County Superior Court Associate Justice Jackie Cowen said that suspending the mandate "would be against the public interest which the [state is] charged with protecting.” Cowen concluded that SPAM had "not identified any irreparable harm its members may suffer if the vaccine policy is not suspended," making suspension "unwarranted for this reason alone." In response to the ruling, SPAM President Michael Cherven said, "It is unfortunate that the Governor and his team have chosen to mandate one of the most stringent vaccine mandates in the country with no reasonable alternatives." Baker said, "it’s very clear to me that the fastest path back to normalcy — the fastest path back to the life everybody wants which is the one they had before the pandemic began — is to get more and more people vaccinated and to continue to build on the success we’ve had here in the Commonwealth."[50][51][52]

Officials and candidates diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus

See also: Government official, politician, and candidate deaths, diagnoses, and quarantines due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

The table below lists officials or candidates who have been diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus. The most recent announcements appear first.

Name Office Date Status
Kendra Lara Boston City Council District 6 November 6, 2021 Lara announced on November 6, 2021, that she tested positive for COVID-19. She said she was fully vaccinated at the time she contracted the virus.[53]
Michael Day (Massachusetts) Massachusetts House of Representatives 31st Middlesex District March 25, 2020 Day announced he tested tested positive for coronavirus.[54]
Seth Moulton U.S. House Massachusetts District 6 March 25, 2020 Moulton self-quarantined for COVID-19.[55]
Stephen Lynch U.S. House Massachusetts District 8 January 29, 2021 Lynch announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.[56]
Lori Trahan U.S. House Massachusetts District 3 January 28, 2021 Trahan announced that she had tested positive for coronavirus.[57]
Deb Goldberg Massachusetts Treasurer February 7, 2021 Goldberg announced that she had tested positive for coronavirus.[58]
Ayanna Pressley U.S. House Massachusetts District 7 December 31, 2021 Pressley announced on December 31, 2021, that she tested positive for COVID-19. She said she was vaccinated at the time she contracted the virus.[59]
Elizabeth Warren U.S. Senate, Massachusetts December 19, 2021 Warren announced on December 19, 2021, that she tested positive for COVID-19. She said she was vaccinated at the time she contracted the virus.[60]
Walter Timilty Massachusetts State Senate Norfolk, Bristol, and Plymouth District December 17, 2020 Timilty announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.[61]

Paths to recovery by state

To read about other states’ responses and recoveries, click one of the links below:

Other state government responses

To view previous coverage areas, including changes to 2020 election dates and policies, initial stay-at-home orders, coronavirus-related legislation, and much more, click a state in the map below.

https://ballotpedia.org/Government_responses_to_and_political_effects_of_the_coronavirus_pandemic,_2020_(STATE)

General resources

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named section7
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA1118
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA510
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA55
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA419
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA45
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA322
  8. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA317
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA311
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA33
  11. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA32
  12. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA216
  13. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA211
  14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA21
  15. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA125
  16. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA113
  17. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA111
  18. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA14
  19. ↑ NBC Boston, "Mass. Will Relax Its Travel Restrictions Soon. Here's What You Need to Know," March 22, 2021
  20. ↑ NBC Boston, "Mass. Will Relax Its Travel Restrictions Soon. Here's What You Need to Know," March 22, 2021
  21. ↑ Mass.gov, "Baker-Polito Administration Announces Transition to Phase IV of Reopening Plan," March 18, 2021
  22. ↑ Boston.com, "Massachusetts relaxes COVID-19 travel restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals," March 10, 2021
  23. ↑ WWLP, "Massachusetts travel restrictions updated due to rise in COVID-19 cases," November 30, 2020
  24. ↑ NBC Boston, "Mass. Adds 1 State Back to Travel Restriction List," September 18, 2020
  25. ↑ NBC Boston, "Mass. Puts 3 States Back on Travel Restriction List," September 11, 2020
  26. ↑ MassLive, "Massachusetts lifts COVID-19 travel restrictions on these 4 states," August 28, 2020
  27. ↑ Mass.gov, "COVID-19 Travel Order," accessed July 31, 2020
  28. ↑ Mass.gov, "Baker-Polito Administration Issues New Travel Order Effective August 1st," July 24, 2020
  29. ↑ Boston.com, "Massachusetts updates self-quarantine advisory to exempt visitors from 7 other Northeast states," June 30, 2020
  30. ↑ The Inquirer and Mirror, "Gov. Baker calls for self-quarantine of all travelers entering Massachusetts," March 27, 2020
  31. ↑ Burbio rated Massachusetts' in-person index at 100. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  32. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed Oct. 6, 2021
  33. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MA517
  34. ↑ Burbio rated Massachusetts' in-person index between 20-40. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  35. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed Oct. 6, 2021
  36. ↑ NBC Boston, "Amid Pandemic, Mass. Schools Given 10 Extra Days to Prepare for Reopening," July 28, 2020
  37. ↑ The Boston Globe, "State guidelines for when Mass. schools reopen: masks, meals in classrooms, no temperature checks," June 24, 2020
  38. ↑ CBS Boston, "Fall Reopening Memo For Massachusetts Schools: Masks Required, Limit Class Size To 10," June 8, 2020
  39. ↑ The Boston Globe, "Baker orders schools stay closed through the end of the school year," April 21, 2020
  40. ↑ CBS Boston, "Coronavirus Closures: Gov. Baker Orders All Mass. Schools Stay Closed Until May 4," March 25, 2020
  41. ↑ Boston Globe, "Baker closes schools, restricts restaurants, bans gatherings over 25 as community spread of coronavirus seen in 7 Mass. counties," March 15, 2020
  42. ↑ Boston.com, "Charlie Baker announces a slate of new orders, including nighttime stay-at-home advisory and mask mandate, due to COVID-19 increase," accessed November 5, 2020
  43. ↑ CBS Boston, "Massachusetts Reopening: 10 Things You’ll Be Able To Do Starting May 29," May 28, 2021
  44. ↑ Boston Business Journal, "Recreational pot shops sue Gov. Baker over closures," April 8, 2020
  45. ↑ Mass.gov, "Order Assuring Continued Operation of Essential Services in the Commonwealth, Closing Certain Workplaces, and Prohibiting Gatherings of more than 10 People", March 23, 2020
  46. ↑ The Boston Globe, "Baker extends business closures, stay-at-home advisory to May 4," March 31, 2020
  47. ↑ United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, "Boston Bit Labs, Inc. v. Baker: Complaint," September 2, 2020
  48. ↑ CBS Boston, "Massachusetts Will Allow Arcades To Open, Allocate $5M More For Restaurants," September 10, 2020
  49. ↑ Boston.com, "Arcades can reopen in Massachusetts next week," September 10, 2020
  50. ↑ Suffolk County Superior Court, "State Police Association of Massachusetts v. Massachusetts: Memorandum and Order on Plaintiff's Motion for Preliminary Injunction," September 23, 2021
  51. ↑ NPR, "Dozens Of Massachusetts State Police Have Resigned Over A Vaccine Mandate, Union Says," September 27, 2021
  52. ↑ Boston.com, "Charlie Baker downplays claim that ‘dozens’ of Massachusetts state police troopers are resigning over his vaccine mandate," September 27, 2021
  53. ↑ Boston.com, "Boston City Councilor-elect Kendra Hicks tests positive for COVID-19," November 8, 2021
  54. ↑ Facebook, "State Representative Michael Day," March 25, 2020
  55. ↑ WBUR, "Rep. Seth Moulton In Self-Quarantine After Experiencing Possible COVID-19 Symptoms," March 25, 2020
  56. ↑ MassLive, "US Rep. Stephen Lynch tests postive for COVID despite receiving two doses of vaccine," January 30, 2021
  57. ↑ Boston Globe, "Representative Lori Trahan tests positive for COVID-19," January 28, 2021
  58. ↑ WWLP, "State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg tested positive for COVID-19," February 7, 2021
  59. ↑ Fox News, "Ayanna Pressley joins long list of Dem lawmakers testing positive for coronavirus," December 31, 2021
  60. ↑ The Guardian, "Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker test positive for Covid amid US Omicron surge," December 19, 2021
  61. ↑ MassLive, "‘I am fortunate that my symptoms have been mild’; Massachusetts Sen. Walter Timilty says after testing positive for COVID-19," December 17, 2020
v • e
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