Boston mayor not in a hurry; worried about office plan
Wants to avoid second shutdown; marathon still an open question
Boston will move cautiously to avoid a second shutdown as the state begins to reopen, Mayor Marty Walsh said at a Tuesday press conference.
“We will continue to be guided by fact-based science, and we will not take steps that put anyone at undue risk,” Walsh said a day after Gov. Charlie Baker outlined a plan to gradually restart the economy.
Walsh said he was leery about one part of the plan which would let Boston offices bring back workers at 25% capacity starting June 1.
“I’m personally not comfortable with 25%,” Walsh said. “I think 25% the first day is too much.”
Walsh said he understands the economic hit to many businesses, but said the city can’t afford a second shutdown if COVID-19 cases spike.
Boston Marathon
Walsh also said Tuesday that the city is talking with the organizers of the Boston Marathon about what to do if the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t eased by the race’s proposed new date of Sept. 14.
The mayor said the decision to reschedule the marathon from April to September was made with the hope that the disease “would no longer be a significant public health risk.”
While Massachusetts is planning to lift its ban on some businesses and activities next week, large public gatherings have been banned through Labor Day — a week before the race’s new date.
The marathon field was scheduled to include more than 30,000, and even a stripped-down race of just a few hundred elite runners would mean hundreds or thousands of volunteers and officials and thousands more fans lining the 26.2-mile course.
A Boston Athletic Association spokeswoman said the organization is considering all options but will be guided by public health officials recommendations.
Religious leaders urge caution
Some religious leaders are urging caution even after Gov. Charlie Baker allowed houses of worship to resume in-person services, provided protocols designed to curb the transmission of the coronavirus are followed.
“Churches are designed to be places of healing, not sources of sickness,” said the Rev. Laura Everett, executive director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches and the Rev. Jennie Barrett Siegal, the organization’s president, in a written statement issued Monday.
“We receive these new minimum safety standards from the state with much concern for those people most at-risk in our churches and our communities,” they said.
The council is a coalition of 18 Protestant and Orthodox denominations.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston announced on Monday that parishes can resume Mass as of this Saturday, but that all churches will be limited to just 40% of their capacity.
Parishioners also must maintain social distancing, wear masks and avoid contact.
Vulnerable people are encouraged to continue watching from home, the church said.