Massachusetts’ phased reopening is at a standstill, but the state’s efforts to improve economic recovery and revise travel restrictions. As the number of positive cases slowly rises, the Baker–Polito Administration continues their near-daily updates on the changes occurring in response to COVID-19. For local businesses, it’s essential you keep up to date with the adjustments to the current COVID-19 regulations in Massachusetts for the sake of your business, team, and patrons.

No Plans to Move Massachusetts’ Phased Reopening Forward

Governor Baker announced last week that he has no intention to push the phased reopening forward to step two of Phase 3. Bars, concert venues, and sports arenas will continue to be barred from opening until a vaccine is made available. Together with the National Governors Association, Governor Baker is in an ongoing discussion about how to roll out an inevitable vaccine statewide. For now, the Commonwealth will be primarily focused on the effect of school reopenings and the impact it will have on the state’s positive testing rate.

“My Local MA” Campaign Launched to Support Economic Recovery

On August 25^th, the Baker–Polito Administration announced the launch of the “My Local MA” advertising campaign – a response to COVID-19’s economic impact on local businesses and communities. This campaign will run through December, with the goal of using print, broadcast, billboard, digital, and social media advertisements to encourage consumers to support local commerce and abide by public safety standards. The website for Find My Local MA provides resources for consumers to find local businesses to fulfill a variety of needs.

If your business is interested in being a part of the Find My Local MA campaign, click and download the business toolkit provided at the bottom of the website. This toolkit provides you with the necessary instructions as well as additional tips on keeping your business and patrons safe from COVID-19.

Massachusetts Lifts Travel Restrictions on Four Additional States

In our twelfth installment, we mentioned the expansion of Massachusetts’ travel quarantine list. However, the most recent update loosens the restriction on four states who’ve demonstrated positive test rates below 5% over seven days. These states include:

• Colorado
• Delaware
• West Virginia
• Pennsylvania

Travelers coming to Massachusetts’ from the government-appointed low-risk states do not need to follow the travel instructions outlined in our tenth installment.

Although the phased reopening is at a standstill, these adjustments to the current COVID-19 regulations in Massachusetts can work in favor of some local small businesses. It’s important to rethink your strategy during these times to make the most out of this difficult situation. If you would like some assistance with your business strategy, Vision Advertising is here to help. We’ve helped our clients find success during the pandemic, and if you’d like to benefits from similar assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us today.