BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Gov. Charlie Baker announced Thursday that Massachusetts will enter Phase 3, Step 2 of its reopening plan on March 1.
This means indoor performance venues, including concert halls and theaters, will be allowed to reopen at 50% capacity with no more than 500 people.
Indoor recreational activities like laser tag, roller skating, trampolines, and obstacle courses will also be allowed to reopen at 50% capacity.
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Meanwhile, restaurants will no longer have a capacity limit and will be allowed to host musical performances with six-foot social distancing, a maximum of six people per a table, and a 90-minute time limit.
Baker also announced that the state plans to enter Phase 4, Step 1 on March 22. That means indoor and outdoor stadiums, arenas, and ballparks will be allowed to reopen with a 12% capacity limit.
According to Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, this includes venues like Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park -- that are defined as "having a capacity of five thousand people or more."
Following the announcement, Gillette Stadium said, "we are thrilled to hear Governor Charlie Baker's announcement...this step represents the progress vaccinations are providing to minimize the risk of infection through herd immunity. It is an important step toward a return to normalcy for fans of the New England Revolution and New England Patriots and provides a sense of optimism for a much brighter future ahead."
The stadium added that the news comes on the same day as the "milestone" of administering over 100,000 vaccine shots for Covid-19 at it's mass vaccination site.
Red Sox President & CEO Sam Kennedy said that the announcement is a “a major step forward and a testament to the leadership of the state and our many health care partners working together.” The team plans to "put operational plans into action" and bring fans back to Fenway Park for the upcoming 2021 season beginning on April 1, 2021.
TD Garden also released a statement, thanking the Baker administration for "working with [them] on a comprehensive plan to safely and gradually reopen TD Garden to fans."
It is unclear at this time how the reopening plan will impact the Covid-19 mass vaccination sites currently operating at Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium.
Also on March 22, gathering limits for event limits and in public settings will increase to 100 people indoors and 150 people outdoors.
Outdoor gatherings in private residences and backyards will stay at a maximum of 25 people and indoor house gatherings will remain at a 10 person limit.
WBZ NewsRadio's Karyn Regal (@Karynregal) reports.
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(Photo: Karyn Regal/WBZ NewsRadio)