Pandemics and Epidemiology (COVID-19, monkeypox, etc.)

Governor Charlie Baker on Friday announced a series of steps intended to keep the coronavirus from resurging in the state, including a reduction in the limit on outdoor gatherings from 100 to 50 people, and the creation of a new task force to enforce public health directives in harder-hit communities.

“Now we are seeing the virus escalate in certain communities around the Commonwealth and we have to put together a plan working together to stop it,” Baker said during his regular State House briefing. “This fight against COVID 19 is far from over.”

Baker said the “notable decline” in the pandemic here from its springtime peak “has caused some residents to feel a bit too relaxed about the seriousness of this virus.”

Baker said the new limit on outdoor gatherings would now apply on both public and private property. The limit on indoor gatherings will remain at 25.

Baker also said restaurant guidelines would be updated to make clear that alcoholic beverages cannot be served unless they’re accompanied by food prepared on site.

“Bars are closed in Massachusetts, and bars masquerading as restaurants also need to be closed,” he said.

He said health and inspection officials previously had enforced orders, but Friday he was “authorizing all state and local police officers to enforce these orders, and event hosts who violate these orders will be subject to fines.”

Baker said he was creating a COVID Enforcement and Intervention Team to ramp up enforcement in high-risk communities and to coordinate local intervention efforts.

In hard-hit communities, he said, “Our goal is to help parents, families, individuals, and others make the smart decisions that they need to make with respect to their daily activities.”

The governor also said the state was postponing indefinitely Step 2 of the current Phase 3 of its reopening plan.

Step 2 would have allowed many of the venues allowed to open in Phase 3 to welcome patrons indoors, including theaters and performance venues. Additionally, indoor recreational activities with “greater potential for contact,” such as laser tag or roller skating, were set to reopen.

Baker last week had warned that recent large gatherings in communities throughout the state were a “recipe for disaster:” in potentially spreading the coronavirus, and told residents that “we’re going to have to make some changes” if the positive test rate continues to move up.

At the time, he cited a recent lifeguard party in Falmouth, a house party in Chatham, an unauthorized football camp in Weymouth, a Chelmsford party, a Wrentham gathering, and a prom party in Cohasset attended by 90. He also noted reports about a cluster at Bay State Medical Center in Springfield. A party on a private boat in Boston Harbor is also under investigation as a cluster by the Department of Public Health, he said.

Large gatherings were back in the news Friday after a hotel was cited for hosting two large gatherings in the city of Gardner over the past weekend.

Baker said he expected the fines levied against the hotel to spike “significantly” into the range of “thousands of dollars” once each $300 violation from the two events is tabulated.

He added that while “we clearly have some issues with bars and restaurants,” the biggest issue confronting the state’s battle against the coronavirus is “people who are familiar with people, being familiar with them in big groups” with gestures such as hugs and high-fives and activities like dancing.

People depart such events, Baker said, like “little ticking clocks” with the potential to pass the virus along to their families, “and then we’re off.”

The Baker administration said in a statement that the multi-agency COVID enforcement team will have a mandate that includes an array of tasks, such as targeted interventions and inspections; increased enforcement, including fines, of specific guidance for industries; and supporting state alcohol regulators and local licensing boards in asserting their authority to fine restaurants or suspend or cancel liquor licenses when restaurants break the rules.

“One of the things we’re trying to do here is to give local communities, local law enforcement, and the State Police the ability to actually issue a fine,” Baker said.

The governor also noted that the majority of state residents have complied with his various public health directives during the health crisis.

“Everyone has been and continues to sacrifice to deal with this heinous virus,” Baker said.

His words were echoed in the briefing by state Heath and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders.

“We have seen an uptick over the last few weeks” in positive cases, Sudders said. “We all have a role to play in stopping the spread of the virus.”

Baker was also asked about recent comments from Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, who recently said the metro Boston area was one of several major US hubs seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases.

The governor said Friday that Boston’s numbers “are pretty solid’ but surrounding communities in Greater Boston have struggled of late.

“When we start winding these things back, many of them involve private recreational activities,” Baker said.