“The current plan to start reopening the economy less than one day after the Reopening Advisory Board releases its guidance … is confusing to many of our constituents and businesses.”

In case you didn’t notice as you sat in traffic on I-93 or suddenly found the main street in your neighborhood packed these past couple of days, people are itching to emerge from their cocoons. So while Gov. Charlie Baker probably didn’t intend for his big May 18 announcement to coincide with gorgeous weather and a media that’s increasingly obsessed with reopening, that’s exactly what he will step up to the microphone amidst on Monday.

Without getting into pros and cons and predictions, considering the glut of unscrupulous news and even propaganda out there, it seemed important to lay out some basic information ahead of the coming news, which may not be so major but nevertheless will be important and thoroughly debated from Pittsfield to Fields Corner. In order to catch up, let’s starting with the Baker administration’s “Four-Phase Approach to Reopening” from May 11”: 

The goal of the phased reopening, based on public health guidance, is to methodically allow certain businesses, services, and activities to resume, while protecting public health and limiting a resurgence of new COVID-19 cases.

• Phase 1 will be “Start:” limited industries resume operations with severe restrictions

• Phase 2 will be “Cautious:” additional industries resume operations with restrictions and capacity limits

• Phase 3 will be “Vigilant:” additional industries resume operations with guidance

• Phase 4 will be the “New Normal:” development of vaccine and/or therapy enables resumption of new normal

There are no specifics yet, which is what has fueled so much anticipation for May 18. Instead, the May 11 memo simply states: “Certain businesses and activities with a lower risk of COVID-19 transmission will open in earlier phases. Decisions and timing will be influenced by public health metrics for when the first phase of reopening begins, as well as when it is safe to move into concurrent phases.” You can read more about the “four phases” here, though again, there aren’t (m)any details just yet. 

Lack of comprehensive info aside, business owners may want to check out the new mandatory workplace safety standards that Baker also released, and that will be “applicable to all sectors and industries that will be open in phase one.” They include:

• For social distancing: All persons, including employees, customers, and vendors should remain at least six feet apart to the greatest extent possible, both inside and outside workplaces [and] require face coverings or masks for all employees.

• For hygiene: Provide hand washing capabilities throughout the workplace.

• For staffing and operations: Provide training for employees regarding the social distancing and hygiene protocols.

• For cleaning and disinfecting: Establish and maintain cleaning protocols specific to the business.

Some businesses and industry groups are protesting and lobbying, in certain cases attempting to get to the front of the line for reopening privileges or to at least have more input in the process. As was reported by the State House News Service, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce “flagged testing, child care, and transportation as the three major barriers to reopening amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” and requested a heads up of “at least 10 days” “to prepare for a potential reawakening of activity.”

Also worth noting is a letter sent to the governor on Saturday from 12 state lawmakers who are urging Baker “to continue with the Stay-At-Home advisory and the shutdown of non-essential businesses at least until June 1,” and “to use the final two weeks of May as an opportunity to build consensus and understanding with regard to the next phase of our collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” “The current plan,” they add, “to start reopening the economy less than one day after the Reopening Advisory Board releases its guidance … is confusing to many of our constituents and businesses. This confusion will result in poor public health choices and is deeply concerning to us as legislators.” The group asked Baker to consider the following:

• Massachusetts has yet to meet the World Health Organization’s basic benchmark for positive coronavirus test results. The WHO says they want to see a ratio of 10 negative tests to 1 positive test as an indication that sufficient testing is occurring. At present, the seven-day average for positive test results stands at 12% in Massachusetts. This is nearing the WHO benchmark, but it is still well above the testing standards set by countries that have effectively contained the virus, such as South Korea. 

• Massachusetts has yet to meet all of the basic guidelines produced by the White House and the Centers for Disease Control. For example, the Satisfy Before Proceeding to Phased Comeback section of the Opening Up America Again report states: “Robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers, including emerging antibody testing.” Currently only symptomatic healthcare workers are being tested for the antigen, and serology is only being examined in a limited capacity. Ideally, everyone in healthcare should be tested daily with the Abbott rapid test, which provides results in about ten minutes.

• The raw number of new COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts is still a very serious concern. Some 4,089 new cases have been reported in the past three days — and while overall trends are clearly improving — it’s worth noting that in Germany this week, a one-day report of 933 new cases triggered an “emergency brake” and a return to lockdown in affected areas. Moreover, we should also recognize the improvements we’ve seen in our state have not been felt in all communities — some of the most vulnerable communities in our state continue to face alarming circumstances that demand more of our attention.

• The Boston Chamber of Commerce says crucial details are missing from the reopening plan, including details around testing, child care for workers, public transportation, and clear triggers for each phase of the plan. Yesterday it was reported that many businesses are confused about whether they will be allowed or expected to reopen.

• We remain concerned with access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). We need to make face masks available to everyone, with clear distribution or pick up mechanisms, especially for companies that may be reopening.  

• We remain deeply concerned that the 17-member Reopening Advisory Board consists largely of corporate executives and CEOs and does not contain any representatives of organized labor, nurses, teachers, or frontline workers.

• We seem to be rushing toward a reopening without having adequately addressed the concerns of people who are incarcerated, people who are experiencing homelessness, undocumented immigrants, and other vulnerable groups that are being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. As we move toward a reopening, we must ensure the needs of the most vulnerable are being prioritized.

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