BOSTON (WHDH) - Massachusetts began to ease some of its coronavirus pandemic restrictions Monday by lifting the curfew on businesses as well as the state’s stay-at-home advisory.
Businesses ranging from restaurants to movie theaters are no longer required to close at 9:30 p.m., and people are no longer advised to stay home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
A 25 percent capacity limit on businesses will remain in place until Feb. 8.
Charlie Wright, general manger of Tuscan Kitchen in the Seaport, says the curfew being lifted is a positive step.
“In particular this weekend, you felt their sense of weight lifted off their shoulder and I really think this has a lot to do with not only the curfew but just the name, just the word vaccine, they really are more engaging and less cautious,” he said.
The lifted curfew won’t save struggling restaurants overnight but it can make a difference for employees who have been laid off or on furlough.
“We are their venue and really their way of being able to provide food for their family, so any extra hour is hopefully gonna be able to hopefully get us an extra staff member here,” Wright added.
Restrictions in the Bay State are easing as spikes in the number of hospitalizations and new cases of COVID-19 have begun to slow.
“What I like about this here, it’s positive,” said Paul D’Amore, chef and owner of Massimino’s Cucina Italiana. “We’re starting to see that things are getting better, the numbers are going down, so people are gonna want to come out more. So we’ll start with the time and eventually, we’ll deal with the capacity.”
The City of Boston remains in Part Two of Phase Two of the state’s reopening plan, so businesses such as gyms remain closed. City leaders are expected to readdress this on Wednesday.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)