COVID-19 pandemic in Boston

[1][3] 175 executives of Biogen, a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, held a two-day leadership conference from February 26–28 at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf hotel.

[9][10][11] On March 4, staff from Biogen contacted the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to report two executives who had attended the February employee meeting had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 upon returning home from Europe.

[3] The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) announced that, starting March 17, it would run the subway and buses at Saturday levels of service during the week.

[3] On May 1, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker ordered all residents to wear a mask in public places when social distancing measures are not possible.

[8] On June 9, Mayor Walsh and the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center set up a new pop-up testing site in Roxbury.

Phase 3 was to allow museums, fitness centers, moderate-size movie theaters, overnight youth camps, sports for all ages, and indoor recreational facilities to open with social distancing and mask wearing restrictions remaining in place.

However, customers were to be required to wear masks, have temperature screening at entry, and practice social distancing[50] On July 16, Mayor Walsh urged all Boston residents to get tested for COVID-19.

Boston Health and Human Services Chief Marty Martinez stated anyone who has not been practicing social distancing or wearing a face mask should be tested.

[51] On July 21, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association's Board of Directors voted to delay the start of the fall sports season until September 14.

[56] On August 18, Mayor Walsh stated in a press conference that encouraging trends in COVID-19 in Boston had resumed, but urged residents to remain vigilant.

[57] On August 19, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced that all children aged six months and older would need to receive a flu vaccine by December 31, 2020, in order to attend childcare, K–12 schools, and colleges and universities in the state.

[59] On September 10, Governor Baker said he "couldn't imagine a reason" to not go back to in-person or hybrid learning in the state's green and white communities in terms of spread in COVID-19.

[65] The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced on October 2 that they would begin providing weekly reports on the number of COVID-19 cases detected in schools.

[69] On August 19, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced that all children aged six months and older would need to receive a flu vaccine by December 31, 2020, in order to attend childcare, K–12 schools, and colleges and universities in the state.

[68] Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders said a shipment of three million masks the state had negotiated to buy from BJ's Wholesale Club, was impounded by the federal government from the Port of New York and New Jersey on March 18.

Mayor Walsh stated that he wanted to make a highly accessible COVID-19 testing site, for the Boston residents who participated in protests and demonstrations over the murder of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter.

The first portion of the phase will allow childcare, day camps, lodging retail stores, outdoor seating at restaurants, and children's sports programs to reopen with strict precautions.

Additional services, including indoor dining and nail and tanning salons, will be allowed to reopen at an unspecified later date as a part of phase two if the positive trends in COVID-19 cases continue.

Phase 3 was to allow museums, fitness centers, moderate-size movie theaters, overnight youth camps, sports for all ages, and indoor recreational facilities to open with restrictions remaining in place.

The state was to postpone Step 2 of Phase 3 of reopening indefinitely, which would have allowed higher-contact sports and small theater and music venues to operate indoors.

The mandate promoted opposition, and in an interview with Boston Public Radio, Wu stated that she received racist messages in response to vaccine requirements.

Grocery retailers, as required by state law, offered older and more vulnerable people a time in the early morning when they could shop separately.

By the end of May, grocery stores started expanding hours, with toilet paper back on shelves, but home baking supplies like yeast and flour in low quantity.

[118] On September 10, Governor Baker said he "couldn't imagine a reason" to not go back to in-person or hybrid learning in the state's green and white communities in terms of spread in COVID-19.

However, Boston Mayor Walsh said on May 28, "There's no way to hold this usual race format without bringing large numbers of people into close proximity.

While our goal and our hope was to make progress in containing the virus and recovering our economy, this kind of event would not be responsible or realistic on September 14 or any time this year."

[124] On July 21, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association's Board of Directors voted to delay the start of the fall sports season until September 14.

[126] The sudden surge of cases in Boston during the week of March 9 led many organizations to ask employees to work from home, and prompted museums and libraries to close.

This led to a noticeable decline in Boston's rush hour traffic; in some cases, drive times for major highways dropped by 30 to 50 percent.

[127] Following the beginning of reopening Massachusetts on May 18, the Greater Boston Area began to see the return of severe traffic congestion during rush hour, especially seen on the Southeast Expressway.