Gov. Charlie Baker's New Coronavirus Restrictions Are Especially Focused On High Risk Cities
BOSTON (CBS) - Governor Charlie Baker says his team is helping 33 cities and towns in the moderate to high risk zone enforce his new COVID-19 restrictions. Effective Tuesday, Baker's order pulls back restrictions on outdoor gatherings from a maximum of 100 people to just 50 people.
"People need to understand that there is a lot of asymptomatic transmission going on," said Baker. "There are a lot of people who don't know they even carry the virus, but they are in fact contagious. And even if it's your neighbors and your friends, if it's a decent size group, people really need to wear face coverings, not share food, not share drink, and take this stuff seriously."
The state is especially focused on high risk cities that show up in red on a newly released color-coded map that breaks down COVID-19 rates town-by-town. Lynn, Revere, Chelsea, and Everett are at highest risk.
But the new restrictions apply across the state. In Methuen, the youth baseball league sent out a message. "Effective immediately! Only one parent is to attend baseball games till Governor Baker's new order is lifted."
The league's president, William Page, said, "I don't want the league to be fined, and...I don't know if I would be held personally liable for it." He said playoff games often draw a lot of spectators. "There's been a lot more grandparents, and aunts, and uncles, and kids coming down to the field to watch siblings play baseball, so this is going to be a big difference for the families that are involved now that it's one parent per child," Page said.
Governor Baker said he wants to step up enforcement. "No one's looking to like arrest people or write citations unless people literally refuse to play by the rules associated with the orders," he said.
A more specific mask mandate also took effect Tuesday. Masks are required at private parties with ten or more people from different households.
