Guidelines for reopening Massachusetts restaurants released

Guidelines for reopening Massachusetts restaurants released

Checklists published by state officials Friday detail a series of required steps restaurants and hotels must take before reopening.

ED: NEWSCENTER 5’S SHARMANSACCHETTI IS LIVE AT THE STATEHOUSE WITH THE NEW PLANSUNVEILED THIS AFTERNOON FROM THEGOVERNOR.SHARMAN?SHARMAN: YEAH, THE GOVERNORMAKING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT A SHORTTIME AGO.HE WILL MAKE THAT ANNOUNCEMENTON JUNE 6, BUT HE IS TALKING NOWTO GIVE RESTAURANTS TIME TOPREPARE.FOR MORE THAN TWO MONTHS,RESTAURANTS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TOOPERATE ON A TAKEOUT ONLY BASIS.THE GOVERNOR SAYS PHASE 2 MEANSTABLES WILL BE SIX FEET APART,MASKS REQUIRED, EXCEPT FOR WHENYOU ARE AT YOUR TABLE, ANDRESERVATIONS ENCOURAGED.HE SAYS OUTDOOR DINING WILL BEALLOWED FIRST, TO BE FOLLOWEDLATER IN PHASE TWO BY INDOORDINING.HE SAYS THAT IS A MODEL HASWORKED IN OTHER STATES.GOV.

BAKER: BASED ON THECONVERSATIONS I HAVE HAD WITHSOME OF MY FELLOW GOVERNORS,THAT HAS BEEN, IN MANY WAYS, ONEOF THE REASONS FOR GOING OUTDOORFIRST, IS IT CREATES APOSSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE IN ASLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SETTING, TOKIND OF RETURN TO THE RESTAURANTAND IN TERMS OF INTERLINKED --EATING OUT GENERALLY.SHARMAN: AT RESTAURANTS BETWEENSEATINGS, THERE WILL BE ACLEANING PROCESS.TABLES WON’T BE PRESET WITHUTENSILS OR CONDIMENTS, ANDMENUS WILL HAVE TO BE SANITIZEDOR USED ONCE.MONDAY, THE GOVERNOR SAYS HEWILL ISSUE AN EXECUTIVE ORDERDETAILING WHICH BUSINESSES WILLALSO BE ABLE TO RETURN IN THESECOND PHASE.HOWEVER, THERE IS