New Temporary Capacity & Gathering Limits Announced by Governor Baker, Effective December 26, 2020

Governor Baker and the Department of Public Health have shared the following new temporary capacity & gathering limits with the Town:

The temporary Executive Order will outline the following measures that will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, December 26th and will continue until Sunday, January 10th, with a possibility of an extension of another week based upon available data.

This pause will reduce allowable occupancy from current capacity levels of 40% to 25% in multiple sectors.

  • Notably, this capacity limit will now apply to restaurants. Capacity will be set at 25% of pre-COVID seating capacity and distancing between tables and other requirements will remain in place. Indoor and Outdoor seating capacity must be calculated separately (rather than combining them).
  • Small spaces (such as personal services) and other spaces without clear occupancy standards may use 5 people / 1000 square feet as an alternative to the 25% occupancy .
  • The 25% limit will not apply to manufacturing, laboratories, drive in movie theaters, or construction
  • Employees/staff are exempted from the capacity count
  • Limits at indoor event venues are being reduced to 10 people.
  • Limits at outdoor event venues are being reduced to 25 people.
  • Current limits at private residences remain the same (10 indoors and 25 outdoors)
  • Limits at movie theaters will be reduced to 25% (no more than 50 people per theater)
  • Limits outdoor performance venues will remain 25% (with the max number reduced to 25 from 50).
  • Office spaces will be required to reduce capacity to 25%, but there will continue to be allowances for offices with “critical services”, such as public safety, public health, and other critical services. There is no approval required for these exemptions.
  • K-12 schools continue to be exempted from these capacity limits and will need to follow DESE standards and guidelines.

Sector

Current Capacity Limit

New Limit

Construction 

None

None

Drive-In Movie Theaters 

None

None

Laboratories 

None

None

Manufacturing 

None

None

Restaurants

None

25% of seating capacity

Close Contact Personal Services 

None

25%

Indoor and Outdoor Events

25 indoor / 50 outdoor

10 indoor / 25 outdoor

Theaters and Performance Venues

Movie theaters – 40%, max 50 ppl
Indoor perf venues – Closed
Outdoor perf venues – 25%, max 50 ppl

Movie theaters – 25%, max 50 ppl

Indoor perf venues – Closed

Outdoor perf venues – 25%, max 25 ppl

Office Spaces

40%

25%

Places of Worship

40%

25%

Retail Businesses

40%

25%

Driving and Flight Schools

40%

25%

Golf Facilities

40%

25%

Libraries

40%

25%

Operators of Lodgings

40%

25%

Arcades & Other Indoor & Outdoor Recreation Businesses

40%

25%

Fitness Centers and Health Clubs

40%

25%

Museums / Cultural & Historical Facilities / Guided Tours

40%

25%

Sectors Not Otherwise Addressed

40%

25%

Information on this new order can be found at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/temporary-capacity-and-gathering-limits